By Oghoghomena Adediran
The Surulere Local Government Area chaired by Hon. Sulaiman Yusuf, has started a three -day free medical care from Tuesday, October 12 to Thursday, October 14; holding at the Ultra-Modern Primary Healthcare Centre in Akerele, Surulere.
The three-day programme offers free consultation and drugs, dental and eye screening with free eyeglasses, breast and cervical cancer screening, as well as screening for diabetes, hypertension and hepatitis.
As part of the healthcare programme, Sebeccly Cancer Care, a non-profit organisation founded in 2006 by Dr. Omolola Salako, is offering free cervical cancer screening.
Speaking on Sebeccly’s programme, Mariam Bamgbola, the coordinator representing Sebeccly Cancer Care explained that: “What we do at Sebeccly is go into different communities to promote awareness on early detection and prevention of cancer.
“Breast cancer and cervical cancer are the most occurring cancers in women, and there’s prostate cancer in men as well. So, we go into different places whether corporate organisations, communities or religious gatherings to sensitise women about these cancers.”
She said that early detection remains very importance in cancer cases, but that there had been a lack of awareness among women, a factor she said leads to delays and degenerated health before solution is sought.
“Breast cancer and Cervical cancer are the most occurring cancers in women but there are still a lot of people that are not aware of these diseases so we use every opportunity to raise awareness,” Bamgbola said.
Women that have been screened for cervical cancer are advised to take another screening after three years. While for breast cancer, women are advised to learn the self-examination methods and carry it out frequently.
Bamgbola further spoke on a Sebeccly project titled ‘TimeToScreen’. “TimeToScreen’ is in partnership with the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board.
The project targets 6,000 women for screening, but have so far been able to screen 4,500 women, Bamgbola disclosed.
The ‘TimeToScreen’ programme is being offered in three major local government areas in Lagos namely; Lagos Island, Kosofe and Ifako. So far we’ve done 52 outreach programmes,” she said.
