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Kebbi Flag off Cervical Cancer Screening Program for 40,000 women in Birnin Yari PHC JEGA
The Kebbi State Cancer Control Program has flagged off the Statewide free cervical cancer screening and treatment program for 40,000 women at PHC Birnin Yari, Jega this Thursday, 5/05/2022.
The program is a partnership between Clinton Health Initiative CHAI, World Health Organisation, Kebbi state Government and Medicaid Cancer Foundation. It is in line with the Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. Kebbi State Government under the leadership of H.E Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has scaled up the coverage to 40,000.
Distribution of commodities for Cervical Screening to the Principal Medical Officers of the selected centres for the screening was also held during the laudable program.
The successful launch was witnessed by a high powered list of stakeholders including the SSG, Commissioners, Local Government Chairmen (led by the ALGON Chairman), Development Partners ( CHAI, WHO, MCF, UNICEF, ROCHE, Johnson and Johnson), Catholic Christians Association, Principal Medical Offices (PMOs), Nigerian Medical Association and Traditional Rulers. This formidable list of stakeholders gathered to ensure effective dissemination to the women of Kebbi and thus, a successful program.
The First Lady of Kebbi State and Founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, who spoke at the Flagoff ceremony urged that women should be encouraged to partake in the Screening saying, “traditional rulers have a big role to play in this program.”
She assured women in the state that screening for cervical cancer is safe and there is no risk of losing body fluids and womanhood contrary to myths related to the process. She debunked the rumours that say the screening takes away a woman’s sexual sensation. Dr Bagudu gave a physical demonstration of the extent of cervical cancer. Out of 12,000 women diagnosed annually, over 8000 will die. She also showed the thermal ablation device used for the treatment of early lesions which are available in all the 10 pilot hospitals running the program.
Dr Bagudu expressed her gratitude for the support of His Excellency saying that with this program, Kebbi state has been put on the global map of cervical cancer elimination. “Many countries are on their way to being declared cervical cancer free and we are hopeful that Kebbi state will soon join them.”
She stated that the State Government and the partners had paid for the program, and as such, the efforts should not be allowed to be wasted. She urged health workers to champion the cause in their various workplaces.
She thanked the Governor, His Excellency Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his enormous support and the support of the team and all the critical stakeholders.
Also speaking, the SSG, Alhaji Babale Umar Yauri, representing the Governor of Kebbi State, His Excellency Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, commended the First Lady for dedicating all her life to the development of women and children.
He 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.
He announced that no fewer than 5,000 women will be screened under the programme, with 1600 so far screened. He added 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.
The SSG 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 further 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 H.E Dr Zainab Bagudu for cancer control. He disclosed that no fewer than 360 people had benefitted from the Indigent Cancer 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 all urged women to come out en mass and get screened.
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, and Roche.
The First Lady along with other VIPs presented Cervical Cancer Screening Materials to Principal Medical Officers (PMOs) of the all the General Hospitals designated as cancer screening centres in the State. Soaps, money was distributed to over 200 women screened at the flag off.
Muktar Bagudo
SSA
Kebbi state Governor
Featured
Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.
The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.
Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.
“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.
“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”
The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.
Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.
“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.
Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.
Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.
He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.
Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.
He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.
To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization
Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.
Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.
“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee
is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.
The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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