By Beti Onu, Awka
The Amafor Nkpor Women Association in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State and the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) have partnered to provide health education for women, pregnant women, nursing mothers and the girl child.
The groups in an event at Nkpor Civic Centre, on Wednesday stated this at Amafor Nkpor community.
The Chairman of Amafor Nkpor Community, Chief Sir Emmanuel ldemili said the timing was made to coincide with the August Meeting of Amafor Nkpor Women.
Chief Idemili said the programme is meant for women, nursing mothers, pregnant women and girl child.
He added that PPFN is a national non-governmental organization that works to promote family planning, health of mothers, pregnant women, young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and children under the age of 5.
He appreciated the representative of PPFN for the partnership, free cervical cancer test and its other efforts in closing the gap in cancer care in the country in complement with the Government and other stakeholders.
Also speaking, the Chairlady of Amafor Nkpor Women Association, Mrs Uju Idemili said the gathering which coincided with the First August Meeting of Amafor Nkpor Women which drew participants from home and abroad was aimed at providing a forum for women to access health tips on ways to monitor occurrence, prevent, manage and overcome cervical cancer.
In her speech, the PPFN’s SPO, Lady Ifeoma Ejiofor appreciated the Chief and Mrs Idemili, among other stakeholders for the vision to ensure that the event holds, adding that recipients of PPFN’s cervical cancer services include women living with HIV, who are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women without HIV.
Lady Ejiofor said PPFN is a member of IPPF and fully involved in various efforts aimed at increasing access to cervical screening and treatment in the country. She defined cervical cancer as a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix, and ranks as the fourth most common cancer among women globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to her, it is the second most common female cancer in women aged 15 – 44 years in the country. Ejiofor disclosed that PPFN was established in 1950s and has since then been educating pregnant mothers, women and young girls on prevention, early detection and management of cervical and breast cancer.
The PPFN Representative noted that
PPFN uses the Visual Inspection of the Cervix with Acetic Acid (VIA) screening and cryotherapy treatment approaches across its 45 clinics spread over 36 states in Nigeria. She also said the body offers these services in over 100 associate health facilities across the country, adding that cancer services at all PPFN and associate health facilities are offered at an affordable, subsidized cost which enables more women to access the services. In her remarks, a midwife from Ihiala Hospital, Mrs Phoebe Iwobi lamented that the high medical fees charged in getting treatment has constituted dangerous barrier to people’s access to healthcare. Mrs Iwobi added that efforts to increase access to life-saving preventive services, diagnosis, treatment and care are necessary.
