Writing by Hudu Shehu;Editing by Abubakar Hamza.
Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Gombe State branch, in collaboration with the North East Development Commission (NEDC) will conduct a three-day free screening of cervical and breast cancer on no fewer than 500 women.
The representative of MWAN, Dr. Hauwa Saurayi stated this in an interview with journalists in Gombe as part of activities to commemorate World Cancer Awareness Month.
She said the screening, aimed to promote early detection and timely treatment of breast and cervical cancer, the two most common cancers affecting women.
Dr. Hauwa Saurayi stressed that early detection remains the most effective approach to reducing cancer-related deaths, urging women not to wait until symptoms appear before seeking medical attention.
Also speaking, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Surgery at FTH Gombe Dr. Bawa Gift, described breast cancer as the most common cancer among women globally, warning that its rising incidence poses a serious public health challenge.
She cited a 2022 research study which showed that early detection and timely management can significantly prolong survival, even when cure is not always possible.
On cervical cancer, an Associate Professor of Gynaecologic Oncology at FTH Gombe, Dr. Halima Faruk, described the disease as “one of the most preventable yet burdensome cancers” affecting women worldwide.
She revealed that about half a million new cases of cervical cancer are recorded annually across the globe, with more than half of those affected dying , particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria.
Cov/Hudu Shehu.
