CiSCANEN Trains CSOs on Awareness Creation Against Cancer in Kaduna
By Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna
Civil Society for Cancer Eradication in Nigeria (CiSCANEN), on Monday began a three-day training for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on cancer awareness creation in Kaduna State.
The National Coordinator of the organisation, Mr Elijah Elijah, said at the opening of the training in Kaduna that the move has become necessary following rising cases of deaths to cancer in the country.
Elijah said that Nigeria currently has the highest burden of cancer in Africa.
He said that 30 women die of breast cancer and 24 of cervical cancer daily, while 14 men also die of prostate cancer everyday.
“This is just from a few popular cancer that we are familiar with, but the statistic is scary when you consider all other forms of cancer that continued to kill unabated”.
“In fact, cancer has become the leading cause of death in the world, adding that awareness creation would go along way in addressing the scourge, “Elijah said.
He said: “Cancer are caused mostly by what we eat, our life style and the environment we lived in.
“People need to know what kind of life style or habit predisposes them to cancer, and how to better prevent it.
“Also, people need to know that cancer is not a life sentence; that it can be treated if dictated early”.
According to him, the CSOs would be train on everything they need to know about cancer and how to enlighten members of the public against it.
He said that to change the current cancer indices in the country, the capacity of CSOs must be improve in every state.
“Therefore, this training is crucial in achieving result in our fight against the scourge of cancer in the country, “he added.
Also speaking, the convener of the training, who is herself a cancer survivor, Mrs Phoebe Yayi, said that creating the needed awareness was crucial in winning the fight against cancer.
Yayi noted that cancer was not a death sentence; it is curable, but only when discover early.
“I am standing with you here today as a breast cancer survivor because mine was dictated early.
“A lot of cancer patients only discovered they have cancer when it is too late to do anything, “she said.
She said that there was the need for massive mobilisation of the people for regular cancer screening, how to treat and prevent cancer.
“And more importantly, cancer patients need care, love and encouragement, because the first therapy is a positive attitude of the patient, “Yayi added.
