Muhammad Mikail
23rd, October 2020
Abuja

On Friday 23rd October 2020, Medicaid Cancer Foundation organized a cervical and breast cancer screening outreach at Kagini, PHC Abuja. The event is part of the diverse cancer care, which also includes advocacy, fundraising and treatment support conducted annually in the International Breast Cancer awareness month of October.

Medical Coordinator Dr Aliyu Aminu led the team to the community with support from Dr Orji Anthony, Programme Officer Disease Control, FCT Primary Healthcare Development Agency, AMAC. The Etsu of Kagini Community, Alhaji Isa Gbegbe, who received and facilitated the exercise expressed appreciation to the foundation for choosing his community to conduct the initiative. He added that the wealth of indigent Nigerians and indeed every Nigerian lies in their good health. He further assured the team of his continued willingness to support the foundation and the FCT Agency in conducting such relevant programs.

The Abuja program also featured presentations from the medical team and training of the women on cancer, types, signs and symptoms, need for early medical screenings and where to access care. Questionnaires were first applied to the women to assess their knowledge of cancer before being trained.

All participants were given sanitary pads, soap and insecticide-treated mosquito nets. They all expressed delight and gratitude to Medicaid cancer foundation and were able to demonstrate all they had been taught on self breast examination. 200 more women are slated for the same training in Kebbi state today 24th March 2020.

This initiative is a major contribution to collective efforts to prevent cervical cancer through early tests and screenings and a step further in achieving the WHO target of eliminating cervical cancer in Nigeria and across the world by 2030.