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Rotary Club of Lagos Island sensitises women on cervical cancer

Published

July 30, 2020

The Rotary Club of Lagos Island, District 9001, on Thursday sensitized market women and school children on the dangers and symptoms of cervical and breast cancer.

Mr. Sanjay Srivastava, President of the club, in a statement, said that the enlightenment was done alongside the distribution of food palliatives to less privileged at the Apostolic church, Ikota village, Ajah, Lagos.

Srivastava said that this was aimed at fulfilling some of the objectives of the non-governmental organization as part of its corporate social responsibility.

He said that over 210 women benefited from the sensitization program and food distribution.

He noted that the COVID-19 safety protocols were strictly adhered to while individuals were encouraged to wear face masks and use hand sanitizers.

“Am happy we are able to do this at this critical time, we will be doing more in the subsequent months to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged.

“The food items given are rice, garri, groundnut oil, and some condiments,” he said.

Mr. Anil Grover, Chairman, Club’s Health Services, urged the women to be sensitive to changes in their systems as cervical cancer was a viral disease transmitted through sexual intercourse.

He advised the women to embrace cervical cancer vaccines available at most health centers to guide against contracting it.

“Rotary Club has a responsibility for the community, that is the reason we are engaging in a massive campaign to Nigerian women, schoolgirls and college students, educating them on symptoms of cervical cancer.

“We realize that some of the market women and people living in the slums are not bothered about contracting COVID-19 and their health generally, but focus more on getting means of livelihood, they struggle to get a meal per day.

“That is the reason we are focused on these categories of people to give food palliative and enlighten them on breast and cervical cancer.

“We have given a vivid description of how to self examine their breasts to detect the growth of any harmful lump because most women are ignorant of some health issues,” he said.

Also, Francesca Robinson, Head, Health Service Committee, said that there would be 95 percent survival for early detection of cancer, urging women to constantly examine themselves.

Robinson said that some of the symptoms to watch out for, traceable to cervical cancer, were foul smell from the vagina, vagina bleeding during intercourse, and colored discharges.

“Every woman must make it a point of duty to undergo cervix examination to ascertain if there are symptoms of breast and cervical cancer,” she said.

Robinson added that this was because there was a 95 percent survival rate for early detection.