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By Joseph Ihembu

In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, Tristate Hospital, Lekki is set to provide free cervical and breast cancer screening to 300 women in Lagos State, with a view to reducing the burden of cancer in society,

The free screening exercise which is part of the hospital’s Beat Cancer Project will begin on March 4, 2022, through to March 8, 2022.

Chief Executive Officer, Tristate Healthcare System, Professor Kamar Adeleke, explained that the exercise was aimed at addressing the challenges arising from the late detection of cancer.

His view is based on the 2022 World Health Organization report which revealed a global burden of nearly 10 million deaths and 19.3 million new cases in 2020 and adjudged cancer as one of the major leading causes of death worldwide.

In Africa, an estimated 752,000 new cases of cancer were reported in 2018 with 506,000 deaths reaching 4% of the global cancer burden.

Despite being preventable by a combination of lifestyle precautionary actions, early detection and treatment, Adeleke, lamented that most Nigerians failed to take necessary action against cancer due to ignorance or lack of will.

According to him: “ Cancer is only as powerful as the onset of its detection. The challenge is that a lot of people do not prioritize regular screening which is key in early detection and prevention. Tristate Hospital hopes we can play our part to help prevent the challenges arising from late detection and the possible deterioration of healthcare. This free screening is one step towards achieving this desire”.

He advised that screening for cancer should be an ongoing activity that should be practised by everyone due to the daily demands of life, including the exposures to various possible cancer-causing factors.

Noting that everyone develops tumours at various stages of life that did not necessarily develop into cancerous cells, he reiterated that the best cure for cancer was regular screening and early diagnosis.

In his remark, Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Dr Adewale

Hide quoted text Adesanya decried the economic impact of cancer and its attendant effect on human development in Nigeria.

He explained that the trauma and financial expenses from cancer management was more challenging when compared to the cost of early screening.

He, therefore, advocated early screening for cervical cancer from the age of 21, while breast examination could be done in front of a mirror every morning, advising that on noticing any lump or swell, the individual should see a doctor.

Additionally, he said “women below 40 years should scan their breasts once in three to six months and those above 40years should combine that with mammography once in one or two years.

“In other developed countries, screening is easily and mandatorily done regularly, thereby reducing the possibility of an incidence of a case”.

Vanguard News Nigeria