Prostate Cancer: 30,000 men targeted for screening in Kwara

No fewer than 30,000 men in Kwara State will benefit from the screening services for prostate cancer by the Leah Foundation.

Leah, a leading cancer treatment and advocacy body in the north central is a member of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC).

The project is to mark the forthcoming world cancer day.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, LEAH’s foundation, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed, identified prostate, breast and and cervical cancers as the three most common cancers affecting both genders in the region.

She said 8 out of 10 men of the residents in the state don’t prioritize testing due to lack of awareness.

She said the development is dangerous.

According to her, “the prostate cancer screening project aims to provide free screening services to 20,000 to 30,000 men aged 40 and above across all religious, educational and social strata in Kwara state.

“Initially we concentrated on breast cancer since we started close to 10 years ago in the state and there have been calls to include prostate for the men which we saw the need for because of the recent and attitude to screening”.

Deaconess Ahmed further noted that prostate cancer accounts for 29% of male cancer cases and most common among men in the country.

“Tragically, 80% of prostate cancer cases result in death due to late detection, underscoring the urgent need for early screening and awareness”, she said.

Omolewa said the Prostate Cancer Awareness Initiative would be launched on World Cancer Day on February 4, 2025, at the Ilorin Stadium, after which it will be done in the South and North districts of the state.

“The launch events will take place in Offa town on February 11 and Tsaragi on February 13, 2025, respectively”, she said.

She also said that the foundation has partnered with some of Nigeria’s influential Nollywood celebrities who have agreed to serve as Awareness Champions to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and promote early detection and treatment.

“To extend the reach and impact of this project, LEAH Foundation seeks the support of individuals and organizations committed to societal development.

While soliciting for more sponsorship, she said such partnerships “will enable us to provide free screening services to thousands of men, promoting early detection and reducing mortality rates associated with prostate cancer”.