By Murtala Muhammad
Gynecologists have emphasised the need for women and girls to conduct monthly breast self-examination for early detection of lumps to enable prompt care and treatment before cancer develops or spreads.
They also cautioned women to be vigilant and report any abnormal bleeding or blood-like discharge after intercourse, to the nearest health facility for immediate investigation and proper management.
The experts made the call during an event to commemorate World Cancer Awareness Month, organised by Medical Women Association of Nigeria MWAN, Bauchi Chapter in collaboration with North East Development Commission NEDC.
The Cancer Awareness event held at Dungal in Bauchi local government area, was attended by residents of the community, include men, women and adolescent girls.
One of them and Consultant Gynecologist with the Abubakar Tafawa Ɓalewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH Bauchi, Habiba Isma’il made a practical demonstration of how women and girls can privately conduct self-examination of their breasts.
She explained that the self-examination would allow them to detect any abnormality early and report to hospital in good time.
The President of MWAN, Bauchi State Chapter, Ummahani Jafaru said the awareness was aimed at reducing risks of breast and cervical cancers in women, which if not detected early, may lead to costly treatment or even mortality.
A Resident Doctor at the Department of Family Medicine, ATBUTH, Gaddafi Ningi, who spoke on misconceptions around breast cancer, noted that although 99 percent of persons affected by the disease were women, men are also at the risk of getting the disease in some rare cases.
He also drew women’s attention on the use of uncertain herbal medicines, saying that in the medical field, there was no single evidence that such herbs heal cancer patients.
On his part, the State Coordinator of North East Development Commission, NEDC Alhaji Aliyu Isyaku, represented by Sulaiman Ibrahim reassured commitment to empower organisations offering humanitarian services in the sub region to sensitise people on their health and wellbeing.
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