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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
A joint efforts between the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and Bauchi State chapter of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), has seen over 500 women of child bearing age and adolescent girls screened for breast and cervical cancers.
The over 500 women and Adolescent girls were screened for breast and cervical cancer at the General Hospital, Alkaleri, in Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi State as part of awareness creation on the negative impact of the two diseases.
The exercise was conducted by Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Bauchi State Chapter with sponsorship from the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), in its social responsibility drive.
Chairperson of the MWAN in Bauchi State, Dr Umma-Hanni Ja’afar, while speaking to Journalists at the Hospital, stated that, “We are here for our free breast and cervical cancer screening. This programme is actually sponsored by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State Chapter.”
According to her, “North-East Development Commission sponsored the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria chapters of the North-East. That is the Six States, from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe,Taraba and Yobe. Each of these states actually have MWAN branches.”
She added that, “We have our leadership, and our mission is to organize screening programme, advocacy programme, programmes that enlighten women and children against diseases of women and children specifically.”
Umma-Hanni Ja’afar added that, “So, we all know breast and cervical cancers are the subject of public health importance. We all know they are associated with mortality in women worldwide, and even in our region, sub-Saharan Africa.”
“Annually, it has been shown that about 12,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in Nigeria, while 8,000 of these 12,000 cases end up as mortality in women. It has been also said that every two minutes, every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer,” She said.
She disclosed that, “So, there is a global target, the World Health Organization (WHO) global target for elimination of cervical cancer. The aim, the target, is to have less than four cases annually per 100,000.”
According to her, “And then there is a 90-70-90 target. The first 90 means about 90% of girls should be vaccinated against cervical cancer. That is the HPV vaccine that has been rolled out since 2014. In some States, there are the phase 1 case and the phase 2 case, which both these two were part of it. It has been rolled out and it has been routinized. Now, girls aged 9 to 14 should be vaccinated against cervical cancer.”
She further explained that, “70 means, 70% of women should be screened with a high-definition screening method at 35 years and at 40 years. This is what we are doing. We came here to screen women, to screen against cervical cancer. Once we screened, we are going to treat. Because there is one of my teachers who says, it is even a sin to screen a woman without treatment.”
“And then the third 90 is that 90% of women should be treated against pre-concerned illness or pre-malignant illness of the cervix or even invasive cancer. So, this is it. If we want to meet that target, that WHO target, what should we do? Community screening is one of it. Besides the hospital-based screening, we have to come out to the community. We have to inform the community,” She stressed.
The MWAN Chairperson further stated that,”Because on the sub-communities, usually they are unaware of these diseases and their complications. So, when we come out, we inform them. We enlighten them. We tell them that such diseases exist. They might even have some relatives that have been affected, but they wouldn’t know the gravity of that affectation.”
She also stated that,”So, that is why when we come as Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, we are Doctors. A group of Women Doctors. And this disease is mostly found in women of child bearing age. Cervical cancer is a disease of women. Because only the woman has the cervix. Only the woman has the womb. The womb is the uterus and the womb has the mouth. The mouth of the womb is called the cervix. So, that cervix is the part affected by the cancer.”
She stressed that, “For breast cancer, more Women are affected with breast cancer than men. So when we come out as women, as a women’s association, inform our fellow women that this is a problem, when they are not aware that it’s a problem, they tend to consent.”
She however said that,”When they aware, they tend to even inform other friends, relatives, neighbors to come out. As it is, when we came here, there were a few, but in less than an hour, the place is filled up because they have been informed. They have been informed that some women Doctors are here for them. So, this is it.”
On what the target is, She disclosed that,”When I came here this morning, actually my target was to screen at least 500 women against breast cancer. Yes. I should expect more. Why? Because when someone comes, they tell one to tell ten. So definitely, if one is informed, that one will go back to the community and inform ten others. So, I’m sure the target will be met.”
She also explained that choosing Alkaleri was actually not by chance, saying,”But, there is what we call for positive campaigning. We chose Alkaleri because there are 20 local governments in Bauchi State, but when you follow it alphabetically, here comes Alkaleri. Our aim actually is to go throughout all 20 local governments of Bauchi State for screening. For community outreaches, our outreach extends actually to all 20 local governments of Bautista. But here we are starting from Alkaleri.”
She added that, “Actually, initially when I saw a few women, I was a bit depressed. But those women that came, they went out and informed some. And then the Ward Development Committee (WDC) Chairman, also assisted in mobilizing more women. So I’m actually impressed.”
In his remarks on behalf of Bauchi State office of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Assistant Manager, Mohammed Amir Ali, said that the main reason of establishing the NEDC was to ameliorate the poverty and devastating impacts of insurgency by the dreaded Boko Haram.
He stated that, “We are here to do cervical cancer screenings in Alkaleri Local Government because of the menace of cancer among women, it is very alarming in the society. And it is created because of the poverty and menace of Boko Haram in the North-East population.”
He added that, “So, and health is one of the main pillars of the North East stabilization and developmental plan. And the MWAN, they are our partners because they are professionals in the area of medicine.”
He added that, “We were very impressed with the last outreach in Dungal, Bauchi LGA, that is the main reason we are here in Alkaleri LGA.”
Some of the women who benefited from the outreach, commended the organizers saying that they have been looking forward to such an opportunity considering the fact that there is cancer of the breast prevalence in the area.
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