The First Lady of Nigeria, HE Hajiya Aisha Buhari, along with the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, DG NOA, Dr. Garba Abari, Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof Ismail Junaidu, House Committee Chairman on Healthcare Services, Hon Tanko Sununu, Senator representing Anambra South, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba, Ebele Okaro and other Nollywood stars on Thursday attended the flag off of the Arm Our Youths (ArOY) anti-cancer health campaign organised by OCI Foundation.
The project, Arm Our Youths Health Campaign Against Breast and Cervical Cancers which is in collaboration with NYSC formed part of activities marking the 2022 International Day of Cancer.
Speaking at the event which took place at NAF Conference Centre Abuja, the First Lady Aisha Buhari who was represented, noted that cancer has posed a great challenge to health of millions of Nigerian women with thousands losing their lives as a result of the disease.
She therefore applauded OCI Foundation for being at the forefront in raising awareness on the very serious threat cancer poses as well as taking adequate steps in ensuring that more Nigerians are granted access to affordable cancer screening and treatment.
In his comment, the President and Founder of OCI Foundation, Assoc. Prof. Chris Ifediora said the gathering is aimed at rewriting history as well as creating a new generation who will be better off than their parents and grandparents in health, education, morals and leadership.
He said the ArOY health campaign is designed to better the lives of the Nigerian people with effective and efficient healthcare services.
According to Ifediora, the foundation had earlier organised a sensitization campaign from NYSC delegates from the 36 States and the FCT as part of the preparation for what is being nursed to be the most successful and impactful health care intervention by a non-governmental organisation in Nigeria and the developing world.
"I am pleased to say that OCI Foundation does not have any shadow of doubt in this belief. The very broad partnerships and coalitions behind this project which we witness today attests to this.
"The Coalitions and partnerships have brought us under one umbrella with the very brightest minds from local and international institutions in the fight against the deadly duo of breast and cervical cancers.
"The vision, passion and aspiration behind the ArOY campaign cuts across political and social divides. It also does not recognise international borders. We are all united by the desire to support a programme that we developed from a well researched efforts targeted at saving lives" he added.
According to Associate Prof. Ifediora, the OCI Foundation has adopted an innovative means to tackle the scourge of breast and cervical cancer among Nigerians.
He said OCI Foundation has championed a research for innovation in dealing with the scourge in partnership with notable health institutions in the US as well as other institutions in Australia, Canada and Sweden.
He applauded the efforts of its local partners particularly the NYSC, Nigeria Cancer Society, First Ladies Against Cancer and the African Humanitarian Foundation for their relentless efforts in raising the bar of advocacy for a cancer free Nigeria.
The health promotion initiative of the OCI Foundation according to Dr. Ifediora also seeks to introduce breast and Cervical cancer programmes into the NYSC orientation across the country as well as the inclusion of cancer health teaching into the academic curriculum of all secondary schools in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT before the end of 2025.
He stated that the Foundation has trained about 95 percent staff strength needed to drive the ArOY healthcare campaign which includes members of the NYSC and staff of Nigeria Cancer Society.
Associate Prof. Ifediora commended the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo for their commitment in joining the campaign to save more Nigerians from cancer related deaths.
According to World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. It says the most common in 2020 in terms of new cases of cancer were breast, lung, colon and rectum, prostate, skin (non-melanoma) and stomach cancer.
This is the gap the OCI Foundation seeks to bridge. It recently donated a digital cervical cancer screening centre in Abuja which uses Gynocular device to screen cancer.
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