The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) has recommended that educating the general public on cancer symptoms and risk factors, such as diet and lifestyle, could improve cancer detection rates and extension of life expectancy. Dr. Patrick Dakum, CEO of IHVN, made the disclosure at an awareness and sensitization programme in Abuja in honour of World Cancer Day 2023, which was hosted by the International Research Centre of Excellence (IRCE) at IHVN in collaboration with Medicaid Radio-Diagnostics/Medicaid Cancer Foundation. The Director of Prevention Care and Treatment, IHVN, Dr. Helen Omuh, who spoke on behalf of Dr. Dakum, suggested that this might be because early signs are frequently vague or ambiguous.
Over 72,000 people die from cancer each year, and the projected five-year cancer prevalence is 233,911 cases, with 102,000 new cases each year. The inability to obtain the best care contributes to more than 70% of cancer deaths. The goal of IHVN is to ensure that people and communities have equal access to high-quality care and treatment; therefore, this year’s theme, “Close the Care Gap,” resonates with that goal. According to Dr. Dakum, the Institute supports around 374,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV), and between 40 to 50 percent of them are women (who have a six-fold risk of developing cervical cancer). He said they ranged in age from 25 to 49, and IHVN is increasing the screening for cervical cancer amongst women.
Nigerians should know cancer symptoms and get medical care when needed.
Dr. Adamu Umar, the President of the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), also stressed the importance of early diagnosis while dealing with less curable forms of cancer. The time between diagnosis and death is typically shockingly short compared to even more survivable because of the difficulty or impossibility of treating these cancers at later stages. The essential thing, he said, is for all Nigerians to know the symptoms and to get medical care as soon as possible if they notice any of them. He emphasized the significance of acting quickly to get medical attention if something seemed wrong.
Furthermore, Ms. Paulette Ibeka, who is the Program Manager for the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), gave a presentation on the Cancer Patients Supported Initiative in Nigeria. According to Ms. Ibeka, CHAI is broadening its product portfolio in a way that is consistent with the essential medicines list maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO). She stated that CHAI would continue to support the initiative in a technical, monetary, and in any other way possible manner to guarantee that the government reaches its aim of eradicating all types of cancer and providing access to treatment of high quality for all Nigerians.
Over 110 Health care personnel were trained to provide health services.
According to Dr. Victoria Igbinomwanhia, Senior Program Officer at IHVN, over 110 Health care personnel and IHVN personnel were trained in screening utilizing Visual Examinations with acetic acid in June 2020, marking the beginning of the cervical cancer screening program in IHVN. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) who range from the ages of 25 and 49 and that are not pregnant have access to cervical cancer screenings at about 114 locations in four different states. Eligible Women Living with HIV (WLHIV) can receive screening services as they wait for their turn at the ART clinic, she explained, making the screening process seamless within the clinic’s overall workflow.
Dr. Igbinomwanhia added that outreach activities were also carried out at some targeted non-activated facilities, and a few were currently being activated. All eligible WLHIV who have been screened receive pre and post screening counselling and are provided with results thereafter. All identified with pre-cancerous lesions are treated with the thermo-ablation machine. Suspected cases of cancer are referred for further management, she said. According to report, over 100 free pap smears and prostrate tests/exercises were conducted at the event.
IHVN aims to bridge the shortfall in cancer treatment provision.
Moreover, Dakum revealed that over 17,000 HIV-positive women were examined between October 2021 and September 2022. 4 percent of these people were found to have pre-cancerous lesions, which were then treated, and 1 percent of those that have suspected cancer cases have been led to them being referred to hospitals to receive treatment. He stated that cancer is a significant problem all over the world and that the IHVN will maintain its efforts toward closing the care shortfall for cancer prevention, concern, and treatment in the country.
Related Link
IHVN: Website
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Public awareness will improve cancer survival. – Awareness and sensitization will improve cancer detection rates, says IHVN. – Express your point of view.
Public awareness is actually very important for cancer. It helps us detect the disease very early to be able to fight against it.
To reduce the rate of death resulting from Cancer awareness and sensitisation is very key. A lot of people are not informed about what Cancer can do and how one can know that the people is infected. Education about it is necessary and equally important because you can save life.
Awareness and sensitization will improve cancer is very important for the public. It will help so many people to know about the cancer
Cancer have claimed the live of so many people including those that neglected it due to ignorance. I believe that with more awareness programs more soul will be safe.
Education about cancer symptoms and risk factors like diet and lifestyle has been suggested by the Institute for Health and Values in Nigeria as a way to increase cancer detection rates and lengthen life expectancy.
If awareness and sensitisation could be done as advices it will greatly reduce mortality rate caused by Cancer. All that people need is education that informed the mind of the possible danger that can emanate when get exposed to some cancinogenic substances.
Creating of awareness is very important to know and how to detect the disease so it can be fight at early and reduce the cause and live die due to the disease
A lot of individuals have died from cancer, and that includes the ones who ignored the disease out of ignorance. Increasing the number of education initiatives is the key to ensuring the safety of more souls, in my opinion.
More than seventy percent of cancer fatalities are attributable to a lack of access to the most advanced treatment options.
IHVN’s mission is to facilitate equitable access to high-quality medical care and treatment for individuals and communities across the globe.
When dealing with less treatable kinds of cancer, it is imperative that we are aware of the significance of early diagnosis.
In many cases, the period between diagnosis and death is surprisingly short since many malignancies are so difficult or impossible to treat when caught at a later stage.
To ensure the government achieves its goal of eliminating all forms of cancer and providing access to high-quality treatment for all Nigerians, CHAI will continue to support the project financially, technically, and in any other way necessary.
for all people in Nigeria to be aware of the symptoms and to seek medical attention as quickly as they can if they experience any of them.
The earlier an illness is identified and treated, the fewer lives are lost to it, making disease awareness one of the most important things someone can do.
It is very important the government must reach its aim of eradicating all types of cancer and providing supports and access to treatment of high quality for all Nigerians… Awareness and sensitization are vital.
Due to the extreme difficulty or impossibility of treating many cancers, the time between diagnosis and death is sometimes shockingly brief.
Due to the difficulty or impossibility of treating many tumors at later stages, the interval between diagnosis and death is generally astonishingly short compared to even more survivable.
Many people have died from cancer, even some who overlooked it out of ignorance. I think that greater awareness campaigns will make more people secure.