By Hassan Ibrahim
Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (MWAN) in collaboration with North East Development Commission (NEDC) has flagged off an awareness campaign on Breast and Cervical in rural communities in Bauchi State.
Speaking during the exercise held Thursday at Dungal village in Bauchi LGA, President of MWAN Bauchi chapter and a Consultant Gynecologist at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH) Dr Umma-Hani Jaafaru,, explained that the exercise was aimed at creating awareness among residents about breast and cervical cancers.
"Both breast cancer and cervical cancer are preventable and curable; once they're detected early they can be treated. However, if detected late treatment becomes a problem," she said.
According to her, “We are in Dungal village to sensitize both men and women on the rising cases of cancer among women. The information will also be stepped down to girls to help them recognize the signs and symptoms early. That is why we are using local dialects to ensure everyone understands the message.”
Earlier in her remarks, Chairperson of the Nigeria Cancer Society, Bauchi State Chapter, Dr Habiba Ismail, emphasized the importance of early presentation of signs and symptoms at health facilities for prompt response and action to cure the disease.
Zainab listed some of the signs of breast cancer including lumps in the breast, skin changes around the breast, bloody discharge coming out from the nipples and having an ulcer that is not healing around the breast, charged the women to conduct regular self-breast examinations at home as part of efforts to reduce late detection of breast cancer.
She urged women and girls to present any abnormalities around the breast and cervix, adding that "any abnormalities should be presented to health workers at the facilities. Don’t do self medication ,don’t shy away but always consult a doctor.
"Most of the patients presented with breast or cervical cancer come to hospital with advanced diseases which the only help you can give them is palliative just to improve the quality of their life and not be able to cure the disease. We are sensetising them so that they should be aware of the disease and know the early presentation so that once they witness it, they should come to the hospital. If they are going to be diagnosed, it will be at an early stage so that they can be cured," Zainab said.
She continued, "On cervical cancer, you hardly see a sign in early stages but however it presents with irregular menstruation or they have pescuital bleeding anytime after intercourse they witness bleeding without pain. They will be aware of these signs and present to the hospital it will be at the early stage where it can be cured.
"Secondly, the immunization against cervical cancer is available because HPV virus is responsible for many cancers including cervical cancer and if our children and adolescent girls will be immunized against these viruses in the future they will be free from cervical cancer. We actually want to eliminate cervical cancer by giving them immunization," Zainab added.
Also speaking, Sulaiman Ibrahim, an Official of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), said that the Commission would continue to support health interventions across the sub-region.
Ibrahim added the commission is currently carrying out various construction including health facilities and provision of medical equipment for vulnerable persons in Bauchi and across the North Eastern States.
Responding, village head of Dungal, Malam Abdullahi Adamu, thanked MWAN and their sponsors NEDC for selecting his community for the awareness campaign to tackle the spread of cancers in Bauchi and the country in general.
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