The Nigerian government has been advised to join forces together with non governmental organisations to address cancer challenges in the country.

Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, made the call at the 28th Annual LAPO Development Forum, 2021, in Abuja.

He said that as more stakeholders key into the initiative there will be an uptick in awareness and pooling of resources to effectively manage and treat cancer.

He noted that such a strategic awareness campaign will also go a long way towards eliminating the fear and misconceptions people generally have that cancer is a death sentence.

The former president who was the Chairman of the occasion, also said that through its annual development forum which focuses on different aspects of social and economic life, LAPO has continued to contribute its own quota towards the development of the society.

Dr. Johnathan also said that the African continent bears a heavy burden of cancer, with a significantly high mortality rate.

He commended the management and members of staff of LAPO for their resilience and sense of innovation which have sustained the organisation’s operation for about three decades.

He also stressed that LAPO Community Campaign for Cancer Control (LAPO C4) was born out of the need to galvanize people and resources around the critical issue of early detection of cancer as well as its proper management and treatment

The Nigerian Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire, advised Nigerians to begin to look into the flora and souna available in the country for the treatment of Cancer.

He also said that the fight against Cancer requires a collective approach of all stakeholders. The minister commended LAPO-C4 for contributing to Nigeria Cancer awareness plan.

In his Keynote address titled ” promoting Community Based Cancer Control Programmme in Nigeria: The LAPO-C4 Initiative”, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Omokhoa Adeleye, urged Nigerians to avoid the risk factors that lead to cancer.

He said that exercising, avoiding smoking, avoiding multiple sex partners and avoiding alcohol are the main factors that can prevent Cancer.

The Founder of LAPO, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, said that the Annual LAPO Development Forum was initiated in 1994 to create a platform to address development issues and challenges which many Nigerians contend with, with a view to proffer innovative and practicable solutions to them.

The theme of the 28th Annual LAPO Development Forum 2021 is ‘Promoting Community Based Cancer Control Programme in Nigeria: The LAPO-C4 Initiative’ and it focused on a critical area of concern to the well-being of Nigerian citizens, which is Cancer

The National Youth Service Corps in Ondo State have been trained and sensitized corp members on sexual reproductive health rights on Tuesday.

This sensitization of over 700 serving Corps members on the need to adhere strictly to HIV prevention techniques.

The programme tagged ‘Corps members sexual reproductive health rights sensitization was held at the NYSC Zonal Secretariat, Oda Road, Akure, the state capital.

The President of the Corps Peer Education Trainers, Community Development Service Group, Onuorah Nkemjika, stressed the need to reduce AIDS-related death and avoid stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Nkemjika noted that the increase in HIV/AIDS awareness will also be extended to residents. According to her, there has been a dearth of visible, in-depth mainstream attention to sexual and reproductive health and rights concerning HIV/AIDS.

In her remarks, the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS representative, Bukky Adegbulu, charged the corps members to abstain from casual sex and embrace the preventive measures they have been taught.

The State Coordinator of NYSC in the State, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, represented by Akure Zonal Inspector, Francis Adebayo charged other corps members in the state to brace up and come up with CDS programmes that will touch lives in their host communities.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission clinics recorded 3,881 appearances by detainees in 2019.

The commission annual statistics of attendance for the medical unit published in the EFCC 2019 annual report obtained on Tuesday showed 859 detainees made clinic appearances in Abuja in the year, an average of 2.3 persons per day.

The clinics attached to the agency’s zonal offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, and Uyo, also attended to various categories of EFCC staff in the same year.

The report said 859 detainees reported being sick in Abuja; 1,166 in Lagos; 748 in Port Harcourt; 496 in Enugu; 266 in Kano, 238 in Gombe, and 108 in Uyo.

It read, “Number of staff seen in Abuja headquarters and zonal office, 1,209; Lagos, 1,311; Port Harcourt, 763; Enugu, 673; Kano, 1,470; Gombe, 534 and Uyo, 109.

“Total clinic attendance in Abuja headquarters and zonal office, 2,068; Lagos, 2,477; Port Harcourt, 1,511; Enugu, 1,133; Kano, 1,736; Gombe,772 and Uyo, 217.”

The report further said 255 days were lost due to illness by staff in Abuja, 90 in Lagos, 92 in PH, 08 in Enugu, 37 in Kano, 20 in Gombe and 05 in Uyo, while one death was reported in Abuja.

The EFCC medical unit opened a new clinic at the Lagos zonal office and also carried out Hepatitis screening for staff and detainees that missed the previous exercise during the period.

The  unit also reportedly established a laboratory at the EFCC Academy in Karu, Abuja, as well as a side laboratory at the Okotie Eboh office for basic investigations.“ the report further noted.