The Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr Jaf Momoh, on Tuesday advocated routine screening for breast cancer on women, saying that early detection guarantees 100 per cent cure.
Momoh said this during the commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, organised by Breast Imaging Society of Nigeria (BISON), National Hospital branch in Abuja.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Month is marked in countries across the world every October, which helps to increase awareness and support for early detection and treatment, as well as palliative care of the disease.
The theme of the 2020 Breast Cancer Awareness day is “Go Pink Day, Save a breast, save a life”.
The CMD explained that early detection of the diseases still remained the best way to control breast cancer, noting that if detected early, with adequate diagnosis and treatment, there was good chance of being cured.
“This is a disease that we know that if diagnosed early is 100 per cent curable as currently there was no sufficient knowledge on the causes of the diseases. If you want to stem down these disease as early as possible, routine screening is what we must encourage all women, whether young or old, to undertake. We will therefore encourage and support any department that comes up with a programme that is in the best interest of our patients”.
The Chief Medical Director encouraged BISON to continue in their effort in creating awareness to the public on breast cancer as well as their service to humanity.
Similarly, Dr Daji Feyisayo, the Consultant Radiologist and Head of Department Radiologist Department, National Hospital Abuja, recommended that individuals above 40 years of age should go for routine mammogram screening every two years.
She advised those of lower age to undergo breast ultrasound, while those above 50 years should screen yearly and regularly undertake self-breast examination.
Feyisayo further advised women to at all-times check for changes in the breast, nipple discharge, lump, skin texture, swelling and discoloration.
She urged women to visit the hospital, if any of the symptoms is detected.
The Consultant said the breast cancer awareness day was also to show and support patients with breast cancer, saying the disease is not a death sentence.
Feyisayo advised Nigerians not to believe religious and traditional myths associated with cancer, adding that such always delay patient’s presentations at the hospital.
The President, Association of Radiologist, Dr Jimoh Kamaldeen, solicited for the support of men in the fight against breast cancer.
Kamaldeen advised the men folks to support the women financially, emotionally and psychologically by encouraging them to go for breast cancer screening, revealing that women established with breast cancer need financial, emotional, psychological support mostly from government, organisations, families and concerned citizens.
“Most of the women you see die because of lack of support that alone takes a toll on the women folks than the disease itself. If we continue to do this, we will be able to stem the tide”.
Mercy David, a 34 year-old Cancer Patient at the National Hospital, said being a victim of breast cancer was not a death sentence for her, saying that there is still hope for her to be healed and live a normal life.
“As many that are having this disease, don’t look down on yourself and don’t say this sickness will kill me because it is the thinking and stigma that kill faster. I encourage everyone going through this difficult time to believe in themselves, the experts and medication”.
