Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication, Africa Centre of Excellence (CAPIC-ACE), in partnership with Beulah World Initiative (BWI), Covenant University Community Development Impact Initiatives Committee (CU-CIIDC), and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Badagry Zone last weekend conducted free Prostate Cancer awareness and screening for farmers in Badagry.
The medical outreach which saw over 200 participants undergo free tests, health talks on prostate cancer, enlightenment on general wellness, and medical advice, among others according to the organisers is to promote physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of Nigerians.
Speaking at the event, the Center Leader of CApiC-ACE, Prof. Emeka Iweala, explained that the exercise forms a part of the six-year-old centre, geared towards fulfilling one of her core mandates of community engagement.
He noted the critical role of farmers to the nation, adding that if the farmers are healthy, then the nation can be rest assured of a regular food supply.
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“We have done so many outreaches, but this is our first time in Badagry and one interesting thing about this outreach is that we are doing it for a specified population, which is farmers.
Iweala said aside from admonishing farmers to know their status, the initiative is also to allay their fears that prostate cancer is tantamount to a death sentence.
“We are conducting free screening and tests for prostate cancer so that members of the community can know their status. Once they know their status, they know what to do next. Those who are negative only need to know how to prevent them, while those who are positive are enlightened on how to manage them,” he stated.
The Coordinator, Beulah World Initiative, Nigeria, Ms Chichi Ononiwu, in her remarks, said BWI pushes primary healthcare across rural communities in Nigeria. “We have had over 120 outreaches in rural in communities in Nigeria so far. We carry out medical consultations, conduct various medical tests like blood, HIV/STD, genotype, eye, blood sugar and malaria and also treat people.
“We give out free drugs, eyeglasses, as well as free food to widows and the elderly within the 65 and upward age bracket,” she said.
She advised Nigerians to be conscious of their health, especially in the area of lifestyle as this is the major solution to curb and reduce endemic diseases like cancer and others to the barest minimum.
She continued: “Today, the Prostate Cancer test has been done and blood samples collected. We are going to give them their results in a few days. We will not stop here. We will continue the free enlightenment for as many as require our assistance.”
Also addressing participants during a health talk session, Head Covenant University Medical Centre, Dr. Ademola Adebanjo, who identified symptoms of prostate cancer in men, said there is the possibility that some of them may have been experiencing similar symptoms, but applying different medications; hence the need to stop such an approach.
He said: “Prostate cancer is on the rise, and the symptoms are simple, urinary problems like going to the toilet often; getting to the bathroom but not being able to urinate; urinating but stopping midway; being unable to hold urine; or blood in the urine and all of that.
He said many of these symptoms happen to men, but unfortunately, many ignorantly use the wrong medications, saying such a scenario is akin to using the drugs for leprosy to treat malaria.
“Regrettably, many of them would probably have gone too far in using wrong medications and before they realised what was happening, the situation may have been prostate cancer which may now be too advanced. That is why we are educating you all on the need to go for checks whenever you suspect you experience any of those symptoms.”
Adebanjo who described prostate cancer as the second deadliest for men after lung cancer, added that black men are more vulnerable to its infection than their white counterparts.
To guard against prostate cancer, he advised men to have plenty of sleep, maintain a healthy diet, avoid fatty food, exercise regularly, and stay off excessive alcohol consumption.
He urged them to go for medical check-ups regularly to guard against prostate cancer and other related medical conditions as it is on the rise and the health of farmers, considering their role in the nation’s development, needs to be prioritized.
Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Badagry chapter, Alhaji Oyelekan Muftau Abiodun said the outreach is an eye opener for their members, adding the collaboration became necessary because many of their members are ageing, and therefore needed the screening.
“Just imagine when you are ignorant of something and here you have experts who are now shedding light on it. It’s not just about the empowerment, entertainment and the hospitality aspect, but the real message embedded in prostate cancer.”
Two of the beneficiaries, Olaleetan Elisha and Haruna Asegun, are happy that if anything, the talk allayed their fears of prostate cancer.
Elisha, who is 59 disclosed he had heard of prostate cancer before. “Even though I have not experienced any of the symptoms mentioned during the health talk, I have always been reluctant to go for the test because of the fear of testing positive.
“But today, my fear was allayed. I now know that even if prostate cancer is detected early, it can still be treated.”
On his part, Asegun 52, commended the partners for the initiative, adding that they look forward to more of such initiative as their members needs such education to stay healthy and be more productive.
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