The Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, has assured women in the state that screening for cervical cancer does not take away their womanhood.
Dr. Bagudu spoke on Thursday at the launching of Cervical Cancer Screening Pilot Project held at the Primary Healthcare Center, Birnin Yari, Jega Local Government.
She said,” I will like to debunk the rumour that undergoing screening for cancer takes away womanhood.
“The programme was very dear to my heart because it has done so much under the leadership of His Excellency, my husband, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
“His support and the support of the team and all the critical stakeholders is highly appreciated.”
Dr. Bagudu further said that with the flag off, Kebbi state has been put on the global map of cervical cancer control Programme.
“We need to key into more into the progranme as cervical cancer is a disease that can be eliminated.
“We have the tools and vaccines and the ability to cure it, especially when it is detected early.
“Many countries are on their way to being declared cervical cancer free and we are hopeful that Kebbi state will soon join them.”
Dr. Bagudu stated that the State Government and the partners had paid for the progranme, as such, the efforts should not be allowed to be wasted.
She urged that women should be encouraged to partake in it, saying,
“traditional rulers have great effort to put in this direction.”
Also speaking, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the SSG, Alhaji Babale Umar Yauri, commended his wife for dedicating all her life to the development of women, describing her as,” a very gentle woman.”
Bagudu said that the State Government has done a lot to ease the suffering of cancer patients in the state,with the collaboration of Medicaid, WHO and other partners.
According to the governor, no fewer than. 5,000 women will be screened under the progranme, with 1600 so far screened.
He said that the treatment for the women would commence immediately after the screening, with facilities provided at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi and the Kebbi Medical Centre, Kalgo.
Bagudu further stated that the Screening will be made a routine across the state, with over 35,000 women to benefit from the screening and treatment for all forms of cancer.
He stated that adequate provision has been made to cater for the people of the state under the cancer indigent fund,among other interventions.
The State Health Commissioner, Hon .Jafar Mohammed, said that the state has worked tremendously in bolstering the cancer control Programme.
According to him, various facilities have been provided to boost access to the cancer control Programme.
The Commissioner stated that the five-year cancer control Plan was deliberately aimed to achieve effectiveness in cancer elimination..
He acknowledged the unwavering support of the governor and Dr Zainab Bagudu to the cancer control.
According to Jafar Mohammed, the people of the state are having access to various services.
He disclosed that no fewer than 360 people had benefitted from the cancer indigent fund with cash support, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and diagnostics investigations, leading to treatment, among others.
The Sarkin Kabin Jega , Alhaji Bawa Arzika while appreciating Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu for launching the screening program in Jega, urged women to take advantage of the program and disregard any rumour against it .
He pledged the sustained support of the program by traditional rulers and thanked Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for the ongoing infrastructural projects in the state.
In their brief remarks at the occasion, the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government who is also the ALGON Chairman, Alhaji Ahmad Aminu Sarkin Fada and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishatu Maikurata urged women to come out en mass and get screened.
The screening exercise according to her was free and does not in any way harmful to women.
She particularly vowed to be screened before she left the venue in order to seve as an example to women.
Highlights of the program were goodwill messages from international partners such as Clinton Health Access Initiative, CHAI, WHO, Medicaid Cancer Foundation, MCF, Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Johnson and Johnson, Roche.
The wife the Governor and other VIPs presented Cervical Cancer Screening Materials to Principal Medical Officers , PMOs of the ten General Hospitals designated as cancer screening centers in the State.
