The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced training of 34 medical doctors, in a campaign to combat and eliminate cervical cancer in the Northeast sub-region.
The Managing Director of the NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali disclosed this in Gombe, while inaugurating a three-day training exercise for the doctors drawn from six states of the sub-region.
He said the exercise is a collaboration between the commission, Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, and University of Miami in the United States.
Represented by General Manager, Humanitarian Services, Hajiya Sa’adatu Shehu, he stated that the exercise marks a significant milestone in the ongoing commitment to eliminate cancer in the zone.
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According to him, the partnership with the two universities exemplified the power of collaboration towards elimination of cervical cancer and ensuring women empowerment.
“As we gathered here for the training of trainers on cervical cancer screening and treatment, we must remember this is the first step of the path we have chosen to combat cervical cancer.
“The knowledge, expertise, and commitment that will emanate from this room will be a driving force of our mission to extend this life saving intervention to every corner of the region,” Alkali said.
The managing director added that the training would expose health professionals to screening and case management of the disease, who were expected to step down the training in their respective states of origin.
Alkali emphasised that the next batch of the training exercise would focus on healthcare workers at the lower cadre, to ensure that the knowledge reaches those at the grassroots level.
On his part, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, stressed the need for regular screening to eliminate cervical cancer, saying it would ensure early detection and effective treatment.
Dr Dahiru also urged stakeholders to increase demand for access to cervical cancer screening and treatment.
The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, Professor Bala Audu, said the aim of the training was to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) target towards elimination of cervical cancer by 2030.
He said the target could only be achieved by ensuring 90 per cent of women are vaccinated; 70 per cent screened and 90 per cent of those diagnosed with the disease get treatment.
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