LAGOS – Three newly acquired Mobile Cancer Centres code named “PinkCruise … Taking Wellness to All’’ will provide access to free cancer screening in all communities across Nigeria.
Dr Kin Egwuchim, the National Coordinator, National Cancer Prevention Programme, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.
This is the first time such an initiative by private individuals and corporate organisations is being put in place to stem mortality from cancer.
NAN reports that the purchase of the mobile cancer centres was facilitated by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Nigeria (CECPN).
According to Egwuchim, it will also screen for other killer diseases, including diabetes, hepatitis, hypertension, malaria and obesity.
“The centres will help in reducing maternal mortality by providing ongoing examination for women who are pregnant in the areas to be visited.
“There will also be eye screening, because when people are blind they usually have low life expectancy.
“We also have cancer occurring in the eye and when people have cancer in other parts of the body, it can spread to the eye.
“It is not just for women; every member of the family will be taken care of through these mobile cancer centres.
“We implore all Nigerians to come out and get screened, because it is free and we also need support to get more of these cancer centres to go to other states.
“We want the general public to take advantage of what we have and also support us in order to have deep measures to ensure that we all live longer and healthy
lives.’’
In her remarks, Dr Abia Nzelu, the Executive Secretary of CECPN, said that the mobile cancer centres would move from one community to another to carry out screening.
Nzelu said that the centres, apart from screening, also have facilities for treatment.
“The pre-cancer stages and early cases can be treated on the spot; we have endoscopy, colonoscopy, mammogram, among others.
“These services are free to the community, anyone who approaches the mobile cancer centres for screening will be screened free of charge.
“The mobile cancer centre is also known as pinkcruise; the pink symbolises health and also breast cancer, while the cruise is taking wellness and good health to the people.
“These mobile cancer centres are going to revolutionalise preventive healthcare in Nigeria; because right now, Nigeria has the seventh lowest life expectancy in the whole world.
“This means that only six countries are below the life expectancy of Nigeria.
“One of the reasons is because we have poor health maintenance culture; people don’t have the habit of routine health check and I am sure this mobile health centres are going to provide such services,’’ she said.
According to her, the plan is to have one in every state and Abuja, making it 37; but right now, three are on ground and we are expecting one before the end of the year.
Abia said: “So, the four pilot centres are going to be based in the four old regions: North, East, West and Mid-West.
“North will be represented by Abuja, West by Lagos and then Port Harcourt will represent the East and Asaba for Mid-West.
“From these regional centres, it will progress and more will be provided in other states.
“These mobile cancer centres are not going to operate in isolation; for each of these places where they will be located, we already have fix centres, where they will operate from.
“After the community outreaches, there are some people who will need further care; the fix centres will be the point for further care and also acts as the take off point for the mobile cancer centres.’’
