The Chief Medical Director of UATH Gwagwalada, Prof. Bissalla Ekele, has said that early screening against cancer and availing oneself to health facilities would reduce the cost of managing cancer related issues.
Prof. Bissallah made this known at the commissioning of the renovated female cancer wards of UATH by the First Ladies Against Cancer yesterday in Abuja. He said that for most cancer cases, the causes are not yet known but when people avail themselves to health facilities for screening on time, it will reduce the number of cases recorded.
The First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu and her Kwara State counterpart, Dr. Olufolake Abdulrasaq represented the First Ladies Group at the commissioning of the renovated wards. In an interview, Dr. Bagudu said that both past and presents wives of the Governors came together with common passion in tackling cancer through increased awareness, improved screening and diagnoses as well as increased access to treatment for Nigerian cancer patients.
Dr Abdulrasaq, on her part, said the group is fortunate to have some expert in the area of cancer treatment and they will give their best while adding that they started with female patients but hope to expand and do more in the Hospital and in other states of Nigeria.
Prof. Bissallah who appreciated the First Ladies group also said cancer is a big challenge all over the world and most patients don’t come to health facilities early until it has reached advanced stages. According to the CMD, “Cancer is difficult to treat when it is advance stage but one of the strategies adopted across the world is early detention which will helps in the treatment of cancer patients.