Nigeria has made significant progress in cancer prevention through the establishment of a structured mobile cancer care system in the country. The system through the Mass Medical Mission, MMM, has established an organised system of preventive community-based mobile cancer centre. This has also helped the country to participate in the International Cancer Awareness Month, ICAM, which ends today, Wednesday, October 31.

Abia Nzelu, executive secretary, MMM, in a press statement made available to Realnews, said the Mobile Cancer Centre, also known as ‘The PinkCruise’ is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for screening, follow-up and treatment (including mammogram, endoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, cryotherapy, laboratory, vaccination and surgeries for pre-cancer and early cancer).

She said the pilot phase of Mission PinkCruise is currently ongoing in Lagos, following a 12-month schedule available on the campaign website (pinkcruise.org). “To expand the reach of mission PinkCruise, there is opportunity for groups (such as faith communities, town/village meetings, market unions, social clubs, professional bodies, residents’ associations; etc.) to apply to be included into the 2019 roster for the ongoing community-based free cancer/general / eye screening, using the Mobile Cancer Centre (the “PinkCruise”).

“Applying groups should be based in any of the following four pilot States: Delta, Lagos, Rivers and FCT, Abuja. All applications should be sent to info@pinkcruise.org. With effect from December 2019, there will be free cancer screening focusing on breast, cervical, prostate and testicular cancers, as well as general health screening, every Wednesday. There will also be free premarital health screening / counselling for about-to-wed couples. Venue: mass medical mission House, 31 Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos. The general public is hereby invited to take advantage of these outreaches,” she said.

However, according to Nzelu, Nigeria has the seventh lowest life expectancy in the world (down from eleventh lowest in 2014). Cancer and its related risk factors are the major causes of untimely death in Nigeria. She said according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC, the global cancer burden has risen to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million cancer deaths in 2018 up from 14 million new cases and 8.8 million deaths in 2016.

– Oct. 31, 2018 @ 14:05 GMT |