NIGERIAN women have been told not to confuse any lump on their breast for a boil but rather have it properly examined to rule out any possibility of breast cancer.
Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola, who gave the charge at the United Nations 2021 Breast Cancer Awareness rally of female civil and public servants by the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) on Tuesday, said many women with lump take them for boil and this had prevented early detection of breast cancer.
Mrs Agboola, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Christiana Abioye stated that breast cancer is treatable and can be avoided when women daily examine their breasts and if they notice any changes should report to the hospital.
She urged women to take good care of their health and wellbeing, teach their daughter’s breast self-examination and continue to create awareness on breast cancer.
Wife of the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Professor Bolanle Olaniyan said breast cancer evokes fear in many women and many people do not even think of it as a disease but a death penalty.
She said that women with breast cancer in Nigeria are many and campaign or awareness needs to be increased to let people know that breast cancer is not a death penalty.
Chairman, Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Dr Gbola Adetunji said Nigerians should be cancer-aware and constantly have n annual medical checkup, especially for cancers of the breast and cervix that top cancer cases in women..
In her remarks, MWAN’s national president, Dr Adekemi Otolorin said breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer globally, with 2.26 million cases recorded in 2020.
Dr Otolorin, noting that breast cancer cases are on the rise in Nigeria due to urbanisation and lifestyle changes, said in Nigerian women, breast cancer tends to be diagnosed at an advanced stage and the chances of survival are low.
She added, “the rally is to make people check themselves, not just to sing around. Cancer is curable if it is detected early and we as women are saying no to any form of cancer, particularly breast cancer.”
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