FG Flags Off Maiden Cancer Awareness Fiesta, Offers Free Screening for Public Servants<\/p>\n
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. The event, held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, featured free cancer screening for over 1,000 civil servants in Abuja.<\/p>\n
The fiesta organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA); aligns with prioritization of staff welfare by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack<\/p>\n
Delivering the keynote address at the Fiesta, which is part of activities marking the 2025 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, said the campaign was not just about exercise but a declaration that the Nigerian workforce was choosing \u201chealth, life, and hope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the importance of a healthy and resilient civil service in driving the national development agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the HOSF stated, “Without health, there is no service. Without health, there is no progress,\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Alaba Balogun, the Health Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Walson-Jack noted that too many public servants have been lost to cancer, often due to late diagnosis and therefore urged workers to take advantage of the free screening exercise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese include breast and cervical cancer screening for women, and prostate cancer screening for men. Please, do not leave this stadium today without being screened,\u201d she told participants.<\/p>\n
Represented by Mrs. Patience Nwakuso Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office-OHCSF, Mrs Walson-Jack applauded the turnout of civil servants across Ministries, Departments and Agencies; noting that their participation demonstrated that the public service was \u201cleading by example\u201d in promoting wellness and productivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou 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,\u201d she affirmed.<\/p>\n
The HCSF added that under the present administration, the federal government would continue to promote wellness programmes and preventive healthcare to build a strong and productive workforce.<\/p>\n
She commended the Ministry’s leadership for its dogged commitment to lead the fight against cancer and other diseases in line with the renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the Rising Burden of Cancer in Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the campaign as \u201cepoch-making,\u201d pointing out that Nigeria records over 127,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer accounting for about 24 percent.<\/p>\n
She lamented that more than 80 percent of cancers in Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages, compared to developed countries where screening and early detection lead to better survival rates.<\/p>\n
According to her, \u201cThe disparity is clear, while developed countries have higher incidence, low – and middle-income countries like Nigeria have higher mortality because of poor screening culture. This is why we must act.\u201d<\/p>\n
I make bold to say that today\u2019s event is not just one off but the beginning of our aggressive campaign for cancer prevention and early detection in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
As the Chairman of the Technical session of the National Council on Health, I will be leading the conversation for the State governments to set up State Cancer Control Programmes at the forthcoming National Council on Health to ensure establishment of routine screening programmes at the subnational levels to
\nenhance the prevention and control of the disease nationwide<\/p>\n
Medical experts present also underscored the importance of prevention and early detection; Dr. Oyiza Oza, Head of the Oncology Department at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, told public servants that cancer shares risk factors with other non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.<\/p>\n
\u201cCancer is real, it is ravaging, and it is here with us. The cheapest and most effective response is prevention through lifestyle modification and regular screening. Early detection saves lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The screening exercise covered breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers, as well as general checks for body mass index, blood pressure, blood sugar, and hepatitis B and C, which are linked to liver cancer. Breast and cervical screenings are to be carried out at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, while other tests were conducted on site at the stadium.<\/p>\n
The sports fiesta featured fitness sessions, aerobics, awareness talks by medical experts and, various award categories on Early Arrival, Best Kitted, Highest Attendance and Best Behaved MDAs with the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare winning the Best Behaved Award category.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FG Flags Off Maiden Cancer Awareness Fiesta, Offers Free Screening for Public Servants 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. The event, held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, featured free cancer screening for over […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":148811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2396,1755,2397,1490],"class_list":{"0":"post-148810","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-others","8":"tag-cancer-awareness-fiesta","9":"tag-daju-kachollom","10":"tag-free-screening","11":"tag-hcsf"},"yoast_head":"\n