Source: Punch
The Niger Government on Thursday distributed 55, 000 breast cancer testing kits to 25 local Government Areas in the state to stem the spread of breast cancer.
Dr Ibrahim Sule, the state Commissioner for Health and Hospital Services, made this known at the inauguration of Breast
Cancer Awareness Campaign and Distribution of Breast Self-Examination Kits in Minna.
He said that the kits were donated by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria as its contribution to the fight against the spread of breast cancer in the state.
Sule said that each local government area would receive two thousand kits, while the remaining five thousand would be distributed to other stakeholders.
He added that the ministry had established a State Cancer Control Programme with a desk officer and registry at the Pathology unit of General Hospital, Minna, for compilation of all cancer cases.
Sule held that early detection of breast cancer would go a long way in saving the lives of the affected people.
He stated that breast cancer and cancer of the uterine cervix were the main cancer diseases that affect women globally.
"The size of the breast mass is not an indication of whether or not is cancerous, hence, the importance of early detection and appropriate medical attention," he said.
Also speaking, Hajiya Jummai, wife of Gov. Babangida Aliyu, enjoined women to carry out monthly self-examination with the kits in order to detect any lump or changes in their breasts.
"Once in a month, women of all ages are encouraged to perform self-examination in order to detect any lump or changes in their breasts.
"The use of the self-examination kits will aid in discovering any lump present in the breast," she said.
She called on women to join in the national campaign against cancer and take full advantage of the opportunity provided by the government.
"This is very important as it will go a long way in reducing the sufferings and death of our people," Aliyu said.