A medical doctor, Dr Tunde Badmus, on Sunday raised the alarm on cancer prevalence in Nigeria and saying there was the need to take early measures to reduce the scourge of the disease.
Badmus, while giving a health talk during Sunday service at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Cement Zonal Headquarters, Lagos, said that three most common cancers ravaging the world were breast, cervical and prostate.
He said that breast cancer was more common among women and most prevalent in Africa, adding that Nigeria is the worst hit.
“More people are dying of the ailment, so there is need to be more careful and spread the awareness,’’ he said.
On some of the symptoms of cancer, he said: “ They include anemia, weakness and loss of appetite.
“Cancer can also present other conditions and hence, the need for more medical examinations to expose and treat it, if present; so, early diagnosis is important.
“There is need to emphasise what we need to know to prevent cancer.
“If your child starts mensuration at the age of 12 and below, it is a predisposing factor,” he said.
Badmus urged women to have regular breast examinations and as men are also at risk of the disease, men with protruding breast should have breast checks too.
He said that other likely causes of breast cancer include use of contraceptives and exposure to multiple radiation.
On cancer of the cervix, the medical doctor described it “as a ravenous wolf’’ and urged women to have annual Pap smears which should later be spread between years.
He advised women to go for vaccination against it, adding that painful sexual intercourse resulting in bleeding should be reported for early examinations.
“Every girl child who has not had sex should have the vaccine from the age of 11 and 12, though some recommend that it should be taken from the age of 9,’’ he said.
On prostate cancer, Badmus said: “Any man of African descent above the age of 40 should have prostate cancer check’’.
He urged Christians to observe rules of hygiene, work on medical advices and combine it with prayers to stay healthy.
“The Bible says in all your getting, get understanding, be prayerful,’’ Badmus said.
Also, Rev. Adewale Elias, Zonal Superintendent of the church, while shedding more light on reproductive health, urged females to get married early and continue their career pursuit.
He advised women to ensure that they got married once they are 25 years, adding that early marriage took care of most of the causes of delay in child bearing.
Elias lamented the effects of climate change, increasing pollution, bacteria and contamination which contribute to the rise in epidemic and disease outbreaks.
“I urge everyone to imbibe the habit of regular and adequate water intake and exercise.
“Also, there is need for us all to respect the principles of nature.
“I don’t always pray alone but when I need medical attention, I ask my doctor, what is happening?’’ Elias said.
An engineer, Mr Tunji Akoro, while giving a career talk, urged Christians to pursue excellence in everything they do.
Akoro said there was the need to get it right in choosing a career not by academic excellence but one’s God given potential as certification without skills was useless.
“It is not about what you studied but about the skills that God has deposited in you,” he said.
Quoting from the book of Daniel in the Bible, he said there was need for discipline in one’s career, as well as keeping track with current trends and innovations.
“There is need for communication and team work.
“Until we die, knowledge will continue to increase; we need to continue to seek more knowledge,” he advised, while quoting the book of Ecclesiastes.
