543 women living with cancer in Niger – ICSRR
543 women living with cancer in Niger – ICSRR
About 543 women have tested positive to cancer due to lack of late detection and awareness in Niger State.
Executive Director, International Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Dorothy Aken’Ova, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen yesterday in Minna.
She said between 2013 and now, out of 29,170 women screened for cancer, 543 were found positive and 119 referred for immediate treatment.
According to Aken’Ova: “At least 543 women have shown traces of cancer since 2013 after screening.
“Out of this number, we have referred 119 who have suspicious cancer to the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja and Federal Medical Centre, Bida for treatment.”
Aken’Ova, who is also a cancer survivor, explained that in other parts of the world, people no longer die of certain disease as there are facilities for early detection.
Also, the Regional Director, North Central Region, of the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, Mary Bawai, said as an organisation working on cancer elimination in Niger State and Nigeria, it has detected that the number of women affected is alarming.
Bawai aid: “In less than three years in Niger State (2013 and 2016), out of the 29,710 women screened, we discovered that there were no awareness as most of them did not know what to do and how to go about it.
“The disease is not easily detected as the signs and symptoms are not always visible.
“We need to create more awareness to encourage women to go for regular check ups and treatment.”
