The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the burden of cancer in Nigeria with the launch of a National Sports and Fitness Fiesta Against Cancer, featuring free cancer screening for more than 1,000 civil servants in Abuja.

The event, held over the weekend at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, was organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), aligning with the prioritization of staff welfare by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Walson-Jack said the campaign was not just about exercise, but a declaration that the Nigerian workforce was choosing health, life, and hope.

“Without health, there is no service. Without health, there is no progress,” she said, adding that a healthy and resilient civil service is critical to driving the national development agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Walson-Jack noted that too many public servants have been lost to cancer, often due to late diagnosis. She therefore urged workers to take advantage of the free screening exercise.

“These include breast and cervical cancer screening for women, and prostate cancer screening for men. Please, do not leave this stadium today without being screened,” she told participants.

She was represented by the permanent secretary, Services and Welfare Office, Mrs. Patience Nwakuso Oyekunle, who applauded the turnout of civil servants across ministries, departments and agencies.

She said their participation demonstrated that the public service was “leading by example” in promoting wellness and productivity.

“You have not only invested in your own well-being but also shown that the civil service is committed to reducing the burden of cancer in Nigeria,” she stressed. (Blueprint)