The Management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), on Monday, organised free cervical cancer screening for 20 women in Osun, to commemorate the 2023 World Cancer Day.
The free screening exercise tagged “World Cancer Day 2023, Let’s defeat Cervical Cancer, IBEDC awareness initiative ” was held at the Pathology Department, Osun State University Teaching Hospital (UNIOSUTH), Osogbo.
The World Cancer Day is an international day marked every February 4, to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
The IBEDC Regional Head, Osun Region, Mr. Oluwatoyin Akinyosoye, explained that the free screening was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in giving back to the society.
“This is just to encourage the women to know their status and the next steps to take.
“IBEDC is providing free cervical cancer screening for 20 women as part of giving back to the society.
“However, people should endeavour to know their health status, not only screening for cervical cancer alone, but for general medical checkup,” he said.
Also Speaking, Dr Adediran Ademola, of UNIOSUTH Gynecology Department, who conducted the screening, explained that women within the reproductive age were of risk or prone to having cervical cancer.
Adediran said cervical cancer was one of the challenges of women, adding that it affects the cervix , which is part of the reproductive organ of a woman.
He said women having multiple sex partners and those with high-risk sexual behaviour were at higher risk of having cervical cancer.
The gynecologist also said that the cancer could also be hereditary, just like other forms of cancer.
He advised women (of reproductive age) to, at least, once a year, get screened for cervical cancer, saying early detection would help to treat and manage the diseases.
