A nongovernmental organisation, Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora (OCI) Foundation has attributed the high rate of breast and cervical cancers in Anambra state, especially in remote areas to lack of awareness on preventive measures.
The President of the Foundation, Dr Chris Ifediora who stated this yesterday while interacting with newsmen in Onitsha, said so many lives that could have been saved were lost as a result of ignorance.
“We lose a lot of lives that can otherwise be saved and easily prevented if our people are empowered to prevent them, or at least identify the early symptoms," he said.
He expressed regrets that no system currently existed to assist residents in tackling the problem, urging government to increase its enlightenment campaign on the deceases to save lives.
According to Ifediora, the Foundation planned sustaining its breast and cervical cancer awareness and prevention campaign for female secondary school students in the state.
“We intend to expand our health programs on breast and cervical cancer awareness and prevention, but we will need more resources, partners and support to make it more sustainable and far reaching.
"The Foundation had increased its beneficiaries of the annual IFOMSSA Challenge under the Foundation’s educational programme for junior and secondary school students from15 in 2017 to 25 in 2018," he noted.
