Dr Bodeno Ehis, Consultant, Public Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital says no fewer than 100,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed yearly in Nigeria.
In a speech entitled: “Cancer Awareness and Prevention’’ at a lecture in honour of the late Mrs Omawunmi Udoh, a lawmaker in Delta State House of Assembly on Sunday in Warri, he observed that the figure accounted for 12.5 per cent globally.
The medical expert who is also a Fellow, National Post Graduate Medical College, Lagos, said more than 16 million new cases of cancer would be diagnosed globally by 2020.
He advised Nigerians to live a healthy lifestyle to overcome the global life-threatening disease that was ravaging the world, adding that eating foods rich in fibre was one of such.
He also recommended routine medical checks, insisting that early detection of cancer was the solution to overcoming the global scourge.
He explained that breast and cervical cancers were prevalent among women while prostate cancer was common in men.
“The women, depending on their ages, should do a mammogram once or twice in a year.
“Cancer can be prevented if detected early enough, therefore, people should carry out checks at least once in a year, while also doing regular exercises,’’ he advised.
The consultant urged government to do a lot of sensitisation on the epidemic to reduce the scourge.
Earlier, the organiser of the event, Rep. Daniel Reyenieju, representing Warri Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, said the gathering was aimed at interacting and sharing ideas on topical issues on health and politics.
He described the late Udoh as a “Legislative Amazon’’ that would forever be missed in the politics of the Delta.
Part of the highlights of the event was the presentation of awards to some distinguished legislators in Warri Federal Constituency. (NAN)
