Cancer: Enugu Government Urges Residents To Modify Lifestyle, Do Regular Screening

The Enugu State Government has urged residents to modify their lifestyle, engage in physical exercise, and do regular cancer checks and screenings to ward off cancer from their lives.

Dr George Ugwu, the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) gave the advice in Enugu on Saturday as the state commemorates the World Cancer Day.

The state’s World Cancer Day celebration, which was themed: “Close the Care Gap”, was organised by ENS-PHCDA and G20+ Enugu Diaspora Support UK and Ireland.

Ugwu said that cancer should be given due attention by all through improved lifestyle of personal cleanliness, good eating habits and balance diet, avoiding alcohol and involving in regular exercise while shunning sedentary life-style.

According to him, this year, Enugu State Government is creating robust awareness on cancer prevention by asking our people to take regular cancer checks and screenings seriously as early detection is key to treatment of all cancer types.

“For this year, we are focusing on cervical cancer and we have taken our advocacy and awareness to young girls, young mothers and older women for all to know what to do and to be pro-active in the prevention of cancer.

“Screening on cervical cancer has been on for female of all ages after our five kilometer cancer walk within Enugu metropolis in the morning today.

“We graciously received over 300 doses of cervical cancer vaccines from one of our partners (G20+ Enugu Diaspora Support UK and Ireland), which will be later administered to those screened especially young girls,” he said.

The executive secretary thanked Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his great attention to health and well being of the residents especially the rural dwellers through numerous activities ongoing at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in the state.

“Our health-loving Governor, His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has vowed to leave no stone un-turned to see that Enugu State continue to be first in healthcare provision and delivery in the country.

“Just in December 2022, we introduced free Rota-virus vaccines to protect our children; as well lessen the huge financial burden on families in getting the Rota-virus vaccines administered to their children.

“This and many more vaccination ongoing in PHCs and regular immunization campaigns are meant to reduce the overall disease and health burden in the state especially among the rural dwellers and downtrodden,” he said.