Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation and Wife of Kebbi State governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, has enjoined men above the age of forty to go for prostate screening in order to protect themselves from prostate cancer and other diseases.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer amongst men in Nigeria. The country records 13,078 new prostate cancer cases every year.
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Bagudu in a statement to raise awareness on prostate cancer said early detection saves lives.
She said, “Almost 100% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in early stages are still alive, five years after diagnosis.”
She said one in nine men would be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
“For Nigerian men, prostate cancer is both the most common and most deadly cancer with 32·8 cases and 16·3 deaths per 100,000 men. Dr Bagudu said the foundation was partnering with Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson to help reduce the prostate cancer burden in Nigeria.
She said the foundation as part of the Prostate Cancer Network of Nigeria would launch a campaign tagged Movember Movement to increase demand for informed prostate cancer screening by every man above the age of 40 through increased awareness of prostate cancer and other men’s health issues. It is also aimed at improving access to preventive health services all through November this year.
The Movember movement is a global campaign to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.
