From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Cancer Control Programme in collaboration with Medicaid Cancer Foundation and State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KBPHDA) has held a stakeholders consultative meeting on how to align World Health Organisation (WHO) global family planning with cervical cancer elimination targets in Kebbi State.
While declaring the meeting open in Birnin Kebbi, Commissioner for Health, Jafar Muhammed, said the collaboration between Kebbi Government and Medicaid Cancer Foundation would pave way for positive health results.
“Aligning and integrating family planning with cervical cancer screening facilitates, the detection of the ugly disease at a very early stage, will safe a lot of lives,” he said.
Muhammed who thanked Governor Abubakar Bagudu and wife, Dr Zainab for their determination to end cervical cancer in the state, expressed the optimism that their efforts would end the disease not only in Kebbi but in Nigeria.
Special guest of honour at the event, Prof. O. A Ladipo, who is co-founder and president, Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) commended Kebbi government for establishing the Indigent Cancer Fund, a basket fund for cancer, which he said was not replicated in all states of the federation.
Founder/CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr. Zainab Bagudu,represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Development, Zara’u Wali, assured them that all efforts would be made to end cervical cancer completely in Kebbi and Nigeria.