Anti-Cancer Health Campaign Birthed

The fight for cancer was taken to another dimension by a non-governmental organization with the introduction of a new innovation


History was made on Thursday 3rd February at the official flag-off ceremony of the “Arm Our Youths Anti-Cancer Health Campaign” with the NYSC. In a passionate speech delivered at the event, Associate Professor Chris Ifediora, Founder and President of the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora Foundation (OCI), declared that the occasion is geared towards rewriting the history that will save and improve lives as well as create a generation of Nigerians that will be better off than their parents and grandparents on health, education, morals and leadership.

He disclosed that the preparations started some months ago with a seminar for NYSC delegates from the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He added that the campaign will likely be the most impactful healthcare intervention by a non-governmental organization, not just in Nigeria, but in the entire developing world. He indicated further that the project is in broad partnerships and coalitions of like minds united by the desire to support a programme that was developed from raw research, and laced with a firm and sincere commitment to the saving of lives, aimed at stemming the scourge of breast and cervical cancers among Nigerians.

Ifediora asserted that the programme by OCI Foundation and her associates is endorsed by the prestigious Harvard Medical School, USA and other institutions in Australia, Canada and Sweden supported by the World Health Organization. Other partners include, the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), The First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC) and the Sweet Home Africa Human Foundation (SHAHF).

The programme is expected to commence with the batch A of 2022 corps members within a few weeks from now having trained over 95% of the personnel needed from NYSC and NCS across the 36 states and the FCT, free and open to all who want to participate. Also free from the foundation are CerviBreast APP and an interactive mobile phone application that will assist in keeping track of breast and cervical cancer screenings.

In addition, in partnership with the FCTs Primary Health Care Board, the first Gynocular Centre in Nigeria which provides highly subsidized digital cervical cancer screenings to Nigerians was successfully commissioned under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu at the Apo re-settlement clinic of AMAC. A follow-up will be done at Awka, Anambra State later in the year. Thereafter, discussions would commence with the federal government, state governors and first ladies on how best to ensure that each geopolitical zone, at the very least, can have one centre.