Health

Northern youths celebrate Alliance Hospital CMD, gives him award

Published

2 years ago

March 21, 2024

Youths from the 19 northern states of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Wednesday, celebrated the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Alliance Hospital, Dr Christopher Otabor for reversing medical tourism in the country.

The youths expressed their joy, saying that the patriotic zeal injected into the medical profession by Dr Otabor has helped to reverse medical tourism, thus generating income for the country.

The youths who operated under the aegis of the Northern Youths Association of Nigeria expressed their appreciation and presented to the Chief consultant orthopedic surgeon, the highest leadership award.

The youth presented to the CMD “Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum Leadership and Northern Heroes Award.

Speaking through its president, Comrade Adams Bogoro, the group explained that
having followed the activities of the medical practitioner for long, it found him worthy to bell one of the recipients of the prestigious awards.

Bogoro described Otabor as an “Icon of nation-building, explaining that the award was in recognition of his immense contributions and philanthropy.

He said that the CMD had performed well in the areas of human transformation and educational transformation for the benefit of humanity and the country at large.

Bogoro said that the Northern Youth Association of Nigeria found it compelling to identify with Otabor for positive contributions to humanity and Nigerian society, to spur him to do more.

He insisted that Alliance Hospital had done very well to change the narrative in medical tourism, adding that the Northern youths were in the hospital to identify with the hospital.

“We are here to identify with you on what you have been doing. You have contributed positively to the Nigerian society, so we are here to encourage you to do more.

“We have been following your antecedents for quite some time, this hospital has done well in the area of impacting health, It is based on this that this group deemed it fit to consider you as one of the recipients of our awards.

“The award is to spur you, the award is to encourage you, the award is to motivate you to do more.

“The award is also to catalyze for you to continue to give your best to the service of the nation as you have always been doing.

“We are one people with a common destiny as exemplified by the founding fathers of Nigeria, most especially those from the northern extraction such as Sir Ahmadu Bello, Abubarkar Tafarwa Balewa, Joseph Tarka, Mallam Aminu Kano, Sunday Awoniyi and others, may their souls rest in peace.

“As part of the convention of the group, we try as much as possible to identify with people like you who have demonstrated patriotism to the country,” Bogoro said.

In his response, Otabor who was overwhelmed with joy thanked the group for finding him worthy of the award.

He commended the youth for organizing, and not joining the bandwagon in the society.

“This is quite commendable. When you have many youths constituting themselves as a problem to the country by getting involved in terrorism, banditry, and armed robbery, here you are organizing yourselves for a good course, yours is commendable.

“On behalf of the management of Alliance Hospital and the highly respected top management staff, I wish to formally accept this award, the Saudana Award. Thank you very much for considering me fit for this prestigious award.

I want to assure you that this would encourage us to do even more of what you have already seen in me,” he said.

“I warmly welcome you to Alliance Hospital, Abuja. A one-stop shop for multi-specialty care.

Alliance Hospital was established in 2011, with a clear mandate of stopping medical tourism, because medical tourism has been a big shame to this country.

” With a population of over 200 million people, our nationals are going out of the country for medical care- to India, Egypt, USA and other countries.

“A lot of people talk about the problem and not many people talk about the solution, so I decided that we would be part of the solution rather than just talking about the problem.

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Health

APC Youth Leader, Health Minister, Others Champion “Going Pink Walk” for Breast Cancer Awareness in Abuja

Published

2 weeks ago

October 18, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

It was a vibrant gathering of energetic young men and women across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday in Abuja, as they joined the “Progress in Pink Walk”, a non-competitive awareness march organized by the All-Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Wing to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The event, themed “Walk for Hope, Walk for Life,” was commenced at The Nest — A Place Where Greatness is Hatched, an over 4 kilometres walk aimed at encouraging early detection, promoting timely medical intervention, and offering hope to those affected by breast cancer.

Leading the walk was the APC National Youth Leader, Dr. Dayo Israel, who has remained consistent in championing initiatives that promote youth empowerment, health consciousness, and community impact.

Over the years, Israel has spearheaded several programs designed to enhance the capacity and wellbeing of young Nigerians.

Globally, October is recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a period dedicated to increasing awareness, encouraging prevention, and supporting those battling the disease. The APC Youth Wing’s initiative aligns with this global campaign, demonstrating the party’s ongoing commitment to public health advocacy and youth-driven change.

Speaking after the walk, an elated Dr. Dayo Israel explained that the initiative was organized to create awareness among women, both young and old, on the importance of knowing their bodies and seeking medical attention early.

“We want women to know their breasts so well that if anything unusual happens, they act quickly.

“Cancer doesn’t occur overnight it develops over time. awareness, and early detection are key to saving lives,” he said.

He added that the walk also sought to promote fitness as a vital component of a healthy lifestyle and to encourage women to adopt positive habits that support their wellbeing and happiness.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako commended the APC Youth Wing for taking proactive steps to raise awareness about a critical health concern.

“With this step you have taken today, more Nigerians will become aware of the dangers of late detection.

“Unfortunately, eight to nine out of ten breast cancer cases in Nigeria are detected late — a situation we must change through constant awareness and screening,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of prevention, urging Nigerians to take their health seriously through regular check-ups, healthy living, and avoidance of risk factors like smoking.

Also speaking, the President and CEO of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, noted that breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in Nigeria, accounting for up to 40–50% of all cancer cases.

“Breast cancer remains a major public health challenge. Exercise plays a vital role not only in prevention but also in improving outcomes for people living with cancer and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension,” he said.

Prof. Omonisi stressed the need for a community-based response to cancer similar to the national efforts used to combat HIV/AIDS.

“We must involve everyone from schools and youth groups to community organizations to build resilience and eliminate the fear and stigma surrounding cancer,” he added.

He praised the APC Youth Wing for leading the charge, noting that young people, with their creativity and innovation, are uniquely positioned to drive impactful awareness campaigns both online and offline.

The “Progress in Pink Walk” concluded with participants pledging to continue spreading the message of early detection, regular screening, and healthy living underscoring that together, Nigerians can defeat breast cancer through awareness, unity, and action.

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