Dr Okpako Okpikpi, National Coordinator, National Cancer Control Programme, FMoH, disclosed this on Friday in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja at the end of the Cancer week.

It was reported that the week which started on Monday, ended with the approval of 30 papers on cancer related issues, review of draft Chemosafe Policy, Palliative Care Policy, among others.

Okpikpi said Chemosafe Policy has to do with safe administration of medicine to cancer patients.

“First, it addresses safety of health personnel administering the medicine, safety of the patient to which medicine is administered, and safety of other patients and those around the place.

“We will come out with this policy; we will make sure that the practice of administering cancer medicine is standardised all over the country.

“The policy also recommends the creation of specific wards for cancer patients in our tertiary hospitals and all hospitals administering cancer drugs,’’ he said.

Okpikpi said that, the meeting reviewed Palliative Care Policy which according to him, has to do with cancer patients in critical conditions.

“It will ensure that these people have a good quality life, if we know they are not going to survive it.

“These things have been practised but they have not been standardised; we are coming up with a policy that will help to regulate it and standardise the practice across the country.

“We will make sure that what is practised in Sokoto is what is practised in Benin and elsewhere in the world,” he said.

The coordinator told our correspondent he is impressed with the participation of stakeholders and thanked them for their participation at the Cancer 2020 edition of Cancer week.

He said the panel in charge of paper presentation received 40 abstracts and 30 scaled through both in person and virtual presentation.

“Papers were presented by NG0s on how they have carried out screening on patients and suggestions were made on how they should improve on their papers.

“They were also advised on how to synergise with the results of their research and how those they have screened should go to the next point of care.

“Like I said, 30 researches were accepted, some were presented by Nigerians in diaspora comparing the trend we have in Nigeria with the ones abroad on cancer control and management.

“We also had trainings on grant writing that will help the country access grants,’’ the coordinator said.

Okpikpi expressed optimism that all activities and recommendations from the event will take cancer control and management to the next level.

“We will be submitting the report of the recommendations to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire.

“The outcome will be, better practice, improved practice of oncology practices in our health centres and in the country at large,” he said.

The 2020 edition of the Cancer Week hosted by the Federal Ministry of Health, had “Cancer in Nigeria in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond’’ as its theme.

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Mrs Akeredolu disclosed this on Thursday at the virtual 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Cancer Society with the theme: “Fate of cancer control in the post COVID-19 era”.

She said the fate of cancer control in the post COVID-19 era would be determined by the ability of medical professionals to adapt to the current realities taking advantage of Tele-medicine portals (including audio and video facilities) and sustained effective leadership and political will by cancer organisations and government, respectively.

“This will help to avoid future occurrences where patients couldn’t access medical care due to uncontrollable circumstances as witnessed during the COVID-19 lockdown”.

According to her, Tele-health has the potential of reducing the financial burden on cancer patients and their families by reducing long distance travels and bills for stay in hotels and guest houses.

“We must sustain a coordinated approach in the fight against cancer through effective leadership.

“To achieve this, we must ask ourselves these questions: What is our purpose as NGOs? What is the purpose of the Nigerian Cancer Society?

“If we must continue to recognise cancer as a leading life threatening disease in Nigeria, and attract the support of the government, the importance of credible and strategic leadership cannot be overemphasised

“For many years, we have yearned for a Nigerian Cancer Society that unites and leads all cancer organisations in Nigeria, yet the supposedly umbrella organisation has not fully achieved this aim.

“Indeed, if we must be successful in the post COVID-19 cancer fight, the Nigerian Cancer Society must step up and lead the way.

“The pandemic has taken us back in our efforts to combat cancer globally. In Nigeria, we urgently need to take advantage of new technologies in Tele-medicine in our approach to patients’ presentation, diagnosis and treatment” She said.

The Governor’s wife noted that with the new executive council, and hopefully with fresh ideas, the society would be rebuilt to deal with challenges in cancer control to improve access to care and survival.

Mrs Akeredolu however commended the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) for putting the virtual meeting together, even in these peculiar times.

Our correspondent reports that Mrs Betty Akeredolu is the founder, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) and spoke at the event on behalf of all Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

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The medical experts made the call in separate interviews with our reporter on Wednesday in Abuja.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix that is the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.

A retired medical doctor, Fadile Omoleye, who expressed concern over what he described as “high mortality rate due to cancer”, noted that prevention could have played a huge role in forestalling it.

He said “cervical cancer is the commonest genital cancer in Nigeria, but it is a disease that can be cured if identified at early stage.

“You can reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by screening and receiving a vaccine that protects against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection.”

HPV is an infection that causes warts in various parts of the body, depending on the strain, and the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI).

Omoleye attributed the prevalent deaths due to cancer to ignorance, poverty, socio-cultural aversion to modern medical values and beliefs, leading to affinity for tradition and spiritual intervention as solution.

According to him, cervical cancer is a major reproductive health challenge.

“We must adopt a complete paradigm shift to screening that recognises the limitations of cytology based approach,” he added.

Dr Hope Abraham of the Gidan Mangoro Primary Health Centre, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), said that regular cervical screening was the best way to identify abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix at an early stage.

Abraham, who said that cervical cancer was a major public health problem, noted that even though it could be prevented and cured if detected early, it was the fourth leading cause of death in women globally.

He explained that women living with HIV were at increased risk of invasive cervical cancer, saying that the need for access to screening and treatment for this population was necessary.

According to him, there is no single way to completely prevent cervical cancer than to regularly go for screening to reduce risk.

The medical doctor said that the risk of cervical cancer would also be reduced by avoiding multiple sexual partners and maintaining a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

“Foods such as legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, with high levels of carotenoids and folate can help to reduce the risk,” he said.

A nurse, Mrs Victoria Opakunle, said that long-lasting infection with certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) was the main cause of cervical cancer.

Opakunle explained that HPV was a common virus that was passed from one person to another during sex, adding that HPV was passed by skin to skin contact of the genital area.

“So, anyone who has ever been sexually active can have HPV and it is more common in young people.

“It is important to avoid having sexual intercourse with several people to avoid having cervical cancer or any other deadly disease,’’ she cautioned.

Opakunle appealed to Nigerians not to stigmatise persons living with cancer, saying it was a health challenge that could be managed.

She urged persons living with the challenge to follow medical advice very strictly, including regular use of prescribed medication.

Andrew Chika, a Gynaecologist in Kubwa hospital in the Federal Capital Territory, said that the challenge must be frontally resolved if the nation was to attain greater reduction of deaths caused by the disease.

Chika said that cervical cancer screening was one of the greatest success stories in cancer prevention history, noting that “widespread screening reduces cancer incidence and mortality.

“A well-proven way to prevent cervical cancer is to screen.

“Screening is the act of conducting tests to find conditions that may lead to cancers and can find pre-cancers before they spread.”

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Shona told our reporter on Monday in Ilorin that contrary to popular belief that men sucking their wife’s breast could prevent breast cancer, it could only help detect it.

She said mothers who breastfeed lower their risk of pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer.

“Most women who breastfeed experience hormonal changes during lactation that delay their menstrual periods.

“This reduces a woman’s lifetime exposure to hormones like estrogen, which can promote breast cancer cell growth.

“And what sucking the breast by a man can only do is to detect breast cancer by feeling the lumps early enough so as to seek medical help,” Shona said.

She however said it was encouraged that women allow their spouses to massage and fondle their breast to detect cancer early.

“We are encouraging women not to deprive their husbands from the pleasure of breast sucking and fondling as it will also be beneficial to them.

“This is because in as much as we preach self examination by women for early detection, most women don’t do it.

“So, if they allow their husbands help them with it, it will help a lot because early detection is the major panacea to address the scourge.

“If breast cancer is detected early before it gets to an advanced stage, it could be survived,” Shona said.

The medical expert however noted that men could also have breast cancer, advising them to also be on the lookout.

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