From: Ruth Yarnap,Bauchi
The Nigeria Cancer Society, Bauchi chapter has called on governments to establish more cancer care centres in their states.
Bauch state chairperson, Dr Habiba Ismail made the call when speaking with our correspondent in an exclusive interview on this year’s World Cancer Day saying that with the increase of the centres a lot of patients can be diagnosed early and put on treatment immediately.
According to her, there is also need for more functional radiotherapy machines, adding that in the entire Northern part of the country, there is only one machine at the National Hospital Abuja.
Dr Ismail, who is also a consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said “we do send women with stage one cervical cancer but before they can assess therapy, the disease must have advanced to stage two.”
She added that the key to cancer prevention is awareness, “people must have knowledge about cancer to be able to make informed decisions. Therapy is expensive, beyond the reach of the vulnerable. Women talk should be about cancers in their gatherings”.
Dr Ismail also called on parents in the state to protect their daughters with HPV vaccine against cervical cancer.
She revealed that cervical cancer is top on the list of cancers among women followed by breast cancer and prostate for the male population in Bauchi state.
According to her, the vaccine for girls aged between nine and 26 years will help to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the decease.
“Unlike HIV, HPV has a vaccine that is given in three doses to girls who are not sexually active.
“Although the vaccine costs N45,000 for three doses, it is lifesaving. I enjoin mothers to invest in the lives of their daughters,” Dr Ismail added.
She said that one in 10 patients is diagnosed with cervical cancer, adding that human papaloma virus (HPV) which is the cause of cervical cancer, is sexually transmissible.
For those who are already sexually active, she said that they should expose themselves to regular screening at least after three years.
“In this part of the country our girls are exposed to sex at an early age because they are married off early and they are exposed to cellular changes that usually goes unnoticed, also polygamy increases the risk of cervical cancer,” she said.
