Project PINK BLUE (PPB), a cancer fighting Non-Govermental Organization has called on the Federal Government, state and local government to make prostrate cancer screening mandatory for men in all public hospitals across the country as research has shown that 15 men die every day from prostrate cancer in Nigeria.
Mr Runcie Chidebe
This call was made by the Executive Director, Runcie Chidebe, at the official launch of the ‘2019 Men on Blue prostrate cancer intervention’ recently in Abuja while addressing a press conference on a research on Prostrate Cancer Awareness, Health Behaviour and Attitude in Nigeria.
Chidebe, while presenting results of the ‘Men on Blue’ research revealed over 80 per cent of Nigerian men above 40 years which is the prostrate cancer risk age, have never been screened for prostrate cancer.
He explained that in the research, conducted in 2018 with over 3,000 men mobilized and screened for prostrate cancer in three states to include Abuja, Lagos and Enugu, 1661 out of the over 3,000 men received the PSA of which 129 men presented high level of PSA scores.
“This clearly explains the rationale for late detection of prostrate cancer in Nigeria and the increasing cancer deaths in Nigeria. There is no organized screening or a national screening programme, what is available are sporadic screenings driven by Non profit Organizations and NGOs””, he stressed.
“once a man who is 40 years and above comes to any public hospital across the country, he should be mandated to do a Prostrate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test and a Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). This way, we can detect prostrate Cancer early and reduce prostrate cancer related deaths. This is a disease that if detected early, it’s easier to cure.” he added.
He however announced that the 2019 Men on Blue project will be expanded to Niger, Rivers and Edo states.
Also speaking, Dr Hajibola Headers, a Urologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital regretted that Nigeria is a major contributor to cancer burden in Africa with 115, 950 new cases and 70, 327 deaths in 2018.
Hajibola noted that prostrate cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the country after Breast and cervical cancer with N5, 806 deaths and N13,078 new cases in 2018.
Chidebe
He further revealed that 15 men die every day from prostrate cancer in the country.
He however noted that the Men on Blue project which is aimed at reducing the prostrate cancer burden through awareness, screening and research has made significant impact to Nigeria oncology space.
