First Lady donates N1bn to national taskforce for cervical cancer elimination

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has donated N1 billion to the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria (NTF-CCE) to fight the scourge of cervical cancer. A statement from the task force said the first lady made the donation on behalf of the Renewed Hope Initiative while receiving a delegation of the task […]

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has donated N1 billion to the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria (NTF-CCE) to fight the scourge of cervical cancer.

A statement from the task force said the first lady made the donation on behalf of the Renewed Hope Initiative while receiving a delegation of the task force in Abuja.

Mrs Tinubu enjoined Nigerian women to speak up and seek appropriate help whenever they have medical challenges.

She said the fight against cancer can be won if the patients present early and seek medical intervention.

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The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who led the high-level advocacy visit applauded the first lady for lending her voice to the introduction of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the routine immunisation programme of the country.

He said this led to the immunisation of 12 million girls aged 9 – 13 in the first nine months of its introduction, adding that the ministry hopes to immunise six million girls this year.

The Chairman of the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria, Prof. Issac Adewole, said cervical cancer is a major public health issue in Nigeria, ranking as the second most common cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.

He said with an estimated 12,075 women diagnosed each year and 7,968 deaths, Nigeria faces one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer in Africa.

The Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), said each year, thousands of women succumbed to the disease, a tragic loss that could be prevented through early detection, vaccination and treatment.

According to him, the reality that cervical cancer is largely preventable underscores the urgency of advocacy and intervention.