Breast, Cervical Cancer Care Receives Boost
A Spart of its Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) initiative, food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has thrown its weight behind the free breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment programme of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation for women in Lagos.
The exercise, which will be conducted in all parts of the state started with 200 women in Lagos Island East Local
Council Development Area, and saw medical experts from the foundation offer free advice about the disease, its symptoms, causes, and prevention, whilst also offering them free screening and treatment.
Addressing the women, the Foundation’s Director, Femi Olaleye, said the initiative is aimed at sensitizing women on the dangers of the disease, which can be harmful to them if not detected and treated at the early stages. He stated that the Foundation’s health personnel carried out extensive breast examination on the women to ascertain whether they have lumps and also conducted cervical cancer screening on them for possible treatment, as it is a disease that can kill if not detected early.
He added that most women do not know they have these infections and can carry them for many years; hence there is a need for proper awareness to enable them know the health implications associated with it.
According to him, the scheme will be extended to other parts of Lagos with lkorodu and Lekki district in focus this month, Onigbongbo in August, AmuwoOdofin in September and Ebute Metta in October. Olaleye added that the World Health Organization ( WHO) has recommended a perfect guideline for the treatment of cervical cancer in a low income economy, which can be diagnosed through a medical examination called ‘ see and treat’, like what the foundation has done. He further disclosed that cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million fatalities in 2018.
Overjoyed with the support, the foundation and the women commended Rite Foods for making the medical exercise possible. Brand Manager, Boluwatife Adedugbe, said it is part of their effort at giving back to society and also boosting the health of women. She affirmed that they are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of the people where they operate and for a better society that is free from diseases.