May 16, 2008 - Raise Awareness For The Prevention Of Cervical Cancer
It gives me great pleasure to be here today and be part of this open day celebration organised by St. Kizito Clinic to raise awareness for the prevention of cervical cancer. I congratulate the Medical Director of St. Kizito Clinic, Dr. Chiara Mezzalira and particularly commend Dr. Rose Anorlu, Consultant Gynaecologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital through whose initiative, I am informed, this programme started in 2006.
From the various presentations that have been made today, the message is very clear: Cervical cancer is a serious health challenge to women especially in developing nations including Nigeria. It has also been established that just like other types of cancer including breast cancer, cervical cancer can actually be prevented and effectively treated if it is diagnosed in its early stage and promptly presented for medical attention. Right now, statistics shows that out of about 25,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed yearly in Nigeria, over 80% are presented in the advanced stage of the disease.
In the present circumstance, the need for serious awareness and enlightenment campaign such as the one taking place here today cannot be overemphasised. We need to devise appropriate strategies through which every woman including those who lives in rural communities will be adequately enlightened and informed about the nature of cervical cancer, the risk factors and how the disease can be detected in its early stage.
On this note I want to commend St. Kizito for initiating this awareness and screening programme using the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Lugols Iodine method which I am informed is a low cost, safe, simple and effective method of screening for cervical cancer. I urge all our women to avail themselves of this opportunity to know their status with regard to cervical cancer.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, private efforts and initiatives such as this will go a long way in complimenting the current steps being taken by the State Government which offers the people the opportunity to be screened for Hypertension, Diabetes, Breast Cancer and prostate cancer. I am confident that plans are under way to also commence cervical cancer screening programme later in the year. I am confirmed that with commitment and purposeful collaboration between the public and private sectors, we shall achieve the objective of reducing the number of women dying of preventable diseases such as cervical cancer.
Once again, I thank St. Kizito Clinic for this great initiative and also acknowledge the efforts of all those who have contributed to its success particularly Dr. Olaitan Adeola, Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist of the University College, London and Elizabeth Garret Anderson of the Institute for Women’s Health.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Her Excellency
Mrs. Abimbola Fashola
First Lady of Lagos State