13th October, 2019
Dr Feyisayo Daji, the NOWA Co-ordinator, Western Naval Command, advocated for early detection among women by going for annual screening, imaging and engaging in monthly self-help breast examination to detect the disease early.
She said this as the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) on Sunday joined in the campaign for women to go for breast cancer check-up regularly.
According to Daji, those who are are above 40 need to screen with mammogram yearly, so that as soon as anything is detected, they go further in the imaging, and that if cancer is detected, it could be dealt with early.
For those who are below 40, she advocated the self-help breast examination every month after their monthly period to see if there is any abnormality.
She said that early detection and seeking help from qualified personnel could save lives, stressing that husbands should support their wives by speaking up early and not to patronise unorthodox places that do not guarantee help.
“Husbands should not let their wives go to unorthodox places where they claim they cure cancer and make people to drink all sorts of things.
“At the end, these women come to the hospital late and you hear that they died; they didn’t die because of the disease, they died because they came at the time that nothing could be done.
“Survival rate, if detected early, is as high as 98 per cent,’’ she noted.
Deji also said that some women die because of some religious beliefs, thereby presenting the case late.
“I urge women not to keep mum over such issues. The survival rate in Nigeria is low because of late presentation.
“Some wish it away and this idea has religious undertone and that’s why some don’t go to hospital early enough,’’ she said.
She thanked the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas and NOWA President, Theresa Ibas, for making it possible to organise the programme and for providing the imaging centre.