By AHMAD BABANGIDA

As part of efforts to ensure the state achieves less than four new cases of cervical cancer per 100,000, the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, has organized a free cervical cancer screening and treatment of an initial 5,000 women of reproductive age group for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Making this known on Monday at the flag off ceremony of the HPV Cervical Cancer Prevention Services held at the Neo-Natal wing of the Minna General Hospital, Governor Sani Bello called on family heads and religious leaders to encourage their women and daughters of reproductive age to go out en-masse and benefit from the exercise.

According to him, “As a State, we are set to provide organised cervical cancer screening of initial 5,000 women of reproductive age group for HPV across the State and treat those with cervical precancerous lesions.

“We will continue to strive to ensure that Niger State is one of the leading states in the country to achieve less than 4 new cases of cervical cancer per 100,000.”

Earlier, Wife of the Governor, Dr Amina Sani Bello, said that the state was collaborating with WHO/CHAI/RAiSE Foundation to align with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) global strategy of 90: 70: 90 of Cervical Cancer elimination.

She added that the second phase would be determined by the speed achieved in the first phase.

Speaking also, a Cancer Survivor and Executive Director, International Centre For Sexual Reproductive Rights, Cesnabmihilo Dorothy Aken’Ova, noted that the programme was timed, adding that “for a very long time, we have desired that Nigeria should meet up with the general global standard, such that women get support in terms of early detection of cancer. I am very happy today that it is a reality.”

In his opening remarks, Commissioner for Health, Dr Makusidi Muhammad, said: “As a State, we are rolling out the screening of initial 5,000 women for HPV, screening and treatment of Cervical Pre-Cancerous lesions in nine local government areas which include Chanchaga, Suleja, Kontagora, Lapai, Mokwa, Borgu, Paikoro, Gbako and Bosso.”

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