Re: Cervical cancer case for funding

I found it highly interesting and indeed worth commenting when I come across the call and enlightenment writing on your Friday edition 14/7/2017 by the renown and long time principal actor in family health and women in particular in person of Dr. Zainab Bagudu, according to her assessments on the cervical cancer which perhaps has […]

I found it highly interesting and indeed worth commenting when I come across the call and enlightenment writing on your Friday edition 14/7/2017 by the renown and long time principal actor in family health and women in particular in person of Dr. Zainab Bagudu, according to her assessments on the cervical cancer which perhaps has over the years increased significantly. As a serving governor’s wife with an NGO that focuses on cancer, she has given quite a good role and still has a vital role to play the fight against this cancer, she however makes an example which if other medical professionals or governors wives can channel the effort and resources used to propagate late cases on creating awareness earlier that will have been if not the best as a suitable alternative in curbing the rate at which the disease is growing.

Another point I want to add here is the need for everyone to get involved in this campaign it’s beyond letting it only to the medical professionals or women in the society, people only come to discuss cervical cancer or other cancer related cases when it involves their family members, relatives or friends which of course out of any family there must be one or more cancer case of any type.

Dr. Bagudu was absolutely correct by presenting her survey which shows of all the various forms of female cancers in particularly in our society, cervical and breast cancer have consistently remained the highest reported ones. Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Nigeria and it is also the second most common among women between 15 and 44 years of age. Every year, over 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 8,000 women die from the disease. These young girls and women need not die because cervical cancer is preventable with a vaccine and awareness to the society.

Looking at the present status of our health system in Nigeria it shows that cancer of any type can consume us easily due to lack of awareness, diagnosis centres and simple vaccines which are more important than millions of dollars spending on overseas medical expenses.

It is obvious as she cited the need for such because a single vial of the HPV vaccine carries a massive potential to protect a Nigerian life. We can save more women from cervical cancer and other deadly vaccine-preventable diseases if we do what is right and appropriate adequate funding for these vaccines in our routine immunization programme. Dr. Zainab concern need to be forwarded to the federal government also to the National Assembly as a matter of fact it is not just a call but a signal to an emergency situation which we are all endangered direct or indirectly.

State governments in particular have a role to play, there can be contributions which every state government can put in place ranging from educational, facilities and other supports.

I wish this message will serve as an alarm to those in the health sector and to every Nigerian. 

Abdulwahab Bawa Mohammed, Nassarawa St, Bauchi  +2348062625452 [email protected]