The seminar, attended by First Ladies from member-states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), aims to exchange knowledge and pool resources to address cancer, specifically breast and cervical cancer, affecting women.
In a statement released by her spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, Senator Tinubu underscored the urgency of reversing the alarming cancer prevalence rates in Nigeria. Recent statistics have revealed 127,763 new cases and 79,542 deaths in the past year alone.
During her address at the seminar, the First Lady highlighted that while her husband, President Bola Tinubu, is actively involved in the diagnostic and treatment aspects of cancer care, she is committed to leading advocacy efforts for innovative approaches to prevention and early detection.
She reiterated her dedication to promoting innovative strategies for cancer prevention and early detection, with a particular emphasis on reducing late-stage diagnoses and enhancing treatment outcomes.
“My major interest is to reduce the prevalence of late presentation in order to improve treatment outcomes. Reports from various cancer registries in the country, which have been corroborated by Globocan Data reports, showed that there were 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths within the year. Also, the prevalent cases of cancer over a period of five years in the country stood at 269,109.
“Globocan shows that cervical cancer is the second commonest cancer among women in Nigeria. Fortunately, it is preventable and curable when detected early. This has led to my stand in championing preventive measures and early detection approach to all preventable and curable cancers in Nigeria,” Senator Tinubu said.
In a separate statement issued via her official X handle, the Nigerian First Lady said: “I had the pleasure of receiving my sister First Ladies of Some African Countries including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gambia, Burundi, Gabon, Ghana and the representatives of Uganda and Congo First Ladies who all joined Mr President, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu and myself to launch the #WeAreEqual Campaign in Nigeria.
“The campaign which is at the behest of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, OAFLAD is to promote gender equality. I have anchored Nigeria’s campaign on Education, specifically, the introduction of the Alternative High School for Girls which will give girls who dropped out of school due to pregnancy, financial constraints and others, pursue their life dreams of getting formal education.
“Moving on, we also had the High-Level Regional Seminar on promoting Cancer awareness and Advocacy Programme for the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday 16th May 2024 in Abuja.
“The seminar, aimed at combating the scourge of cancer, particularly breast and cervical cancer among women, garnered significant attention and commitment from attendees.
“The event also saw notable contributions from Rt Hon Dr Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who echoed the urgency of enacting a National Cancer Act.
“With the leadership of First Ladies driving the advocacy forward, optimism abounds for a future marked by progress and improved outcomes in the battle against cancer.”
Earlier at the event, Nigeria’s House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, stressed the need to enact a National Cancer Act.
The Nigerian lawmaker noted that with the First Ladies taking the lead in the advocacy, he was sure the outcome would be more positive.
In her remarks, the First Lady of Turkey, Emine Erdogan, called on Africans to promote a healthy dietary system and make use of their abundant medicinal resources.
During the seminar, the First Ladies from OIC African member-states, such as Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, presented reports on cancer management in their respective countries.
They emphasized the importance of forming alliances and raising awareness about this deadly disease. Following the seminar and its technical session, Senator Oluremi Tinubu made the Abuja Declaration, which was then signed by the other First Ladies.
The Declaration includes resolutions for improved funding, increased advocacy, and enhanced collaboration among member states.
