NIGERIA. Niger State: The Niger State first lady and founder of RAiSE Foundation, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello, said that Cervical Cancer is the 4th most leading life-threatening virus that has caused death among women and about 4.1 million women are living with it. And not less than 80 per cent of the people affected by the virus are from the low-and-middle-income countries such as Nigeria.
Wife of the governor, Amina Bello made this known during the flagging off ceremony of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer prevention screening at the Jummai Babangida Maternal and Neonatal Hospital Minna, the state capital.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working towards the goal of seeing less than four new cases of cervical cancer per 100,000 women, Amina Bello noted.
Treatment strategies
Niger State Governor, Dr Abubakar Sani Bello, therefore, outlined strategies of proper elimination of Cervical Cancer to include; vaccination, screening and treatment of precancerous lesions and treatment through palliative care for invasive cervical cancer.
Speaking during the flagging off ceremony, Abubakar Bello assured of his administration’s continuous support and commitment in eliminating and attaining generation free of Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus by creating an adequate environment for the health workers and educating the general public about the global menace and the need for them to be careful on how to fight the life-threatening virus.
The programme is in stages across nine selected local government areas of the state targeting around 5,000 women.
The local government areas are – Lapai, Chanchaga, Paikoro, Bosso, Suleja, Mokwa, Borgu, Gbako, and Kontagora.
Health of people – primary concern
“Our resolve is in setting an agenda towards a generation without cervical cancer in the State given the proper education, enlightenment and a suitable environment to fight this global menace”, Abubakar Bello said.
Giving importance to the health of the people, Abubakar Bello said that health is non-negotiable and of paramount importance to the soul of his administration, as such he will continue to give the required attention and resources to the elimination of the human consuming virus and also by meeting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Cancer elimination of 90-70-90 initiative.
In his remark, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Makusidi said that 15 state health experts and 100 health workers cut across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare are put through about the needed knowledge of Cervical Cancer Prevention Services for proper service delivery.
Makusidi also noted that the gesture is in support of WHO, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and RAiSE Foundation.
“We are calling on all relevant stakeholders and women to avail themselves of the opportunity, stressing that early dictation of cervical cancer is highly preventable, treatable and can be cured,” Makusidi said.
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