Leadership (Abuja)
Bernard Tolani Dada
26 August 2008
The Chairman, National Council on Cancer Control Programme in Nigeria, Professor Abayomi Durosinmi-Etti, said yesterday in Abuja that "over 50 per cent of cancer patients in Nigeria are women".
Durosinmi-Etti told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview that the Federal Government was trying its best to ensure that the populace was aware that cancer was fast taking over from HIV/AIDS.
"Government is doing its best now but it is left for people to know what is happening, particularly the women in rural areas.
"Over 50 per cent of cancer that you see in the country happens to women; if it is not cervix, it is womb or breast and this cancer is preventable," he said.
He said the disease could be cured if diagnosed early, adding that constant checks helped a lot.
" It is advisable for any woman to check or palpitate her breast regularly soon after her monthly menstruation.
"A woman who has passed menopause should not think she is becoming young again when she suddenly starts bleeding," he said.
He said people should see their doctors immediately they noticed some of the signs because these could be early warning signs.
"Anyone who continues to experience nagging cough, sudden voice crack, hoarse voice, mole or dark mark on the skin and itching, should see a doctor.
"You should worry about these signs because some of them may turn out to be skin cancer and you cannot afford to play with such things" he said.
According to him, the United Kingdom has 3.4 million machines per one million people and America has 8.2 million machines per a million , while Nigeria has only 0.05 machine per million.
" In other words, about one machine is serving 20 million people in Nigeria which is a terrible situation for the country. But I am glad that government has identified the solution," he said.
The minister of Health, Dr Hassan Lawal at a "stakeholders meeting on Cancer Control on Friday, said that government would address the growing cancer burden in line with the "Vision 2020".
He said the Five-year National Cancer Plan (2008-2013) by both the ministry and the National Committee for Cancer Control would improve the quality of life of cancer sufferers through pain control. NAN
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