About 1,500 women staff of a cashew processing factory in Ilorin, Kwara State, Olam Nigeria Limited, undergo breast and cervical screening and test to mark 2020 World Women’s day.
Speaking with journalists at the event in Ilorin on Thursday, the plant manager of the agricultural production outfit, Rajeesh Neelanjeri, said that the medical outreach and symposium are parts of corporate social responsibility of the company.
The plant manager, who said that women formed the largest size of the staff of the company, said that each factory at Mandate and Ajase-Ipo areas, as well as Ogbondoroko factory, has about 500 women-staff strength each.
He said that the management prides itself with promoting international best practices, staff welfare, gender equality and human rights.
Also speaking, members of LEAH medical centre, took turns to enlighten the women on need to prevent breast and cervical cancer by self examination and regular check-up and screening.
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The health experts, who said that one out of eight women has breast cancer, added that the disease kills millions worldwide. They, therefore, advocated for preventive measures because the diseases give no sign until manifestation in women.
The women were also encouraged to go for screening and test at quality healthcare centers to determine the effect level in their body system and towards preventing it from multiplying the cells in their body system.
They were also advised to take good care of their health and speak out to medical experts on their health being, saying that it takes healthy mothers to live long to benefit from her successful children.
In her speech, an educationist and former permanent secretary in the state, Mrs. Comfort Adu, frowned at the decline of motherhood attributes among many modern-day mothers.
“To the extent that many of our mothers today do not have anything good to pass on to their children as morals or knowledge because they too do not have it. Interestingly, you can’t give what you don’t have. So, I want to appeal to you to be good role models to your children and imbibe in your children quality home training for them to be our pride”, she said.
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She commended the management of the company for the efforts at promoting welfare and issues relating to well being of their staff, while she charged the women to be productive with their earnings.
Mrs. Adu specifically admonished women to spend wisely on their children’s education to ensure qualitative rewards and economic security in the nearest future.
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