Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, has urged Nigerians and stakeholders to fight against Cancer and free the nation from the killer disease as polio was dealt with across the country.
Dr Bagudu, who disclosed that more than 39.59 million women are at risk globally of cancer, noted that 26 women died of the disease daily in Nigeria.
The Governor wife stated this on Wednesday during the world polio day ceremony held at Emir of Argungu palace, Argungu town of Kebbi State.
She explained that, “after a communal effort of the Nigerian health system, the Governor’s forum and private sector,the administration of President Muhammad Buhari finally had the credit of stamping out polio from Africa.
“When 2020 is recounted in history as the year of the Covid-19 pandemic; it will also be remembered as the year Nigerian finally became polio free”.
She added that: “it is my prayer that all stakeholders and most especially our Riyal fathers for whom I have great reverence will join us in the cancer space to fight the second most common cancer in the world today cervical cancer.
“More than 36.59 million women are at risk globally ad 26 die of the disease on daily basis in Nigeria. As it stands,Nigeria has the highest cancer death rate in Africa”.
She added that, Cervical cancer can be eliminated by a simple vaccine against the human papilloma virus-HPV stressed that,Nigeria is set to commenced the vaccine followed adoption of the global strategy by WHO.
The Emir of Argungu,Alhaji Muhammad Samaila Mera attributed the success of polio eradication in Nigeria to cooperation of all stakeholders especially in the norther part of the country.
The Emir noted that it is good for leaders to assist his people and immediate community whenever there is opportunity and appreciated all his subjects for their collective efforts to ensure that polio was eradicated in his emirate.
He pledged the readiness of all the traditional rulers in the state to support the fight against poliomyelitis and other killer disease.
He appreciated the donors, government and other stakeholders to ensure eradication of polio in the country.
The representative of WHO in Kebbi State, Dr. Razi Muktar, said WHO will continue to support the State in implementing all the interventions to improve its health indices, especially routine immunization and to end the fight against Cancer (cVDPV2) ravaging the northern region of the country.
In his remark,Commissioner for Health in Kebbi state, Alhaji Jafaar Muhammed commended the people of the state for their support and cooperation towards eradication of polio in the state.
He added that,as the nation celebrating the free polio in the country, there was outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, stressed that, for the past two months,there was no cases of the virus in the state.
