Cervical Cancer: Anambra state First lady encourages free screening participation

The wife of Anambra State Governor,Mrs Nonye Soludo, has requested for more women to come out and take advantage of the first phase of the ongoing free cervical cancer screening and treatment programme in the state, as it is coming to an end.

The governor’s wife who stated this in Awka while running an assessment of the exercise so far, said that though an appreciable number of women have shown interest in the ongoing programme, she still looks forward to seeing more women and girls take part in it before June 2023 deadline.

While restating how crucial the exercise is to defeating the cervical cancer carnage, Mrs Soludo explained that the six-month timeframe for the current programme is long enough to accommodate more women irrespective of their individual schedules and location.

The governor’s wife also commended health workers who are providing the services, and urged them to give every woman equal priority, and to ensure that those whose results come out positive are well taken care of.

She further urged parents to ensure that the girl child in their reproductive age also get screened, assuring that the designated health facilities for the screening and treatment processes boast adequate human and technical expertise.

Mrs Soludo also appealed to community and religious leaders, leaderships of women groups, as well as other stakeholders to help drive the campaign by creating awareness among women, especially those living in rural areas, to understand the importance of the exercise.

Anambra State Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization, WHO, and Clinton Access Health Initiative, CHAI, had on December 20th, 2022, kicked off free cervical cancer screening and treatment for five thousand women and girls in the state.

The novel programme, which is scheduled to last for six months in the first batch, will continue in subsequent folds, but to be enjoyed only by women who are registered with the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme.

Twenty-five accessible health facilities have also been selected for the exercise, with plans to increase the number in due course. They include: Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, General Hospital, Enugwu Ukwu, General Hospital, Umueri, General Hospital, Ekwulobia, Primary Health Centre, Ozalla Isuofia, Primary Health Centre, Nkwelle Umunachi.

Others are Primary Health Centre, Enugwu Otu, Primary Health Centre, Akwaeze, Primary Health Centre, Eziani, Primary Health Centre Atani One, Primary Health Centre, Atani Two, Primary Health Centre, Nawfia, Maternal and Child Health Centre, Amawbia, Child Health Centre, Atani, Maternal and Primary Health Centre, Nkpor Uno.

Other health facilities are Okofia Primary Health Centre, Umumenike Hospital, CRRHC Neni, Enugwu Aguleri Primary Health Centre, Ogbu Umueri Primary Health Centre, Nagbaba Primary Health Centre, Umunachi, General Hospital, Nanka, Primary Health Centre, Nanka One, Primary Health Centre, Umueze Isuofia and Aguata Primary Health Centre.