Stop patronising pastors, imams for cancer treatment – Niger gov’s wife tells women

The wife of Niger State governor, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello has cautioned women to stop going to pastors and imams for treatment of breast cancer.

 According to her, treatment for cancer is in the hospital and not Mosques and Churches.

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 The governor’s wife, who is a medical doctor, stated this while addressing women at the 10th Annual Fifth Chukker Breast Cancer Awareness Day organised in collaboration with Pink Hope Breast Cancer Awareness in Kaduna.

 The breast cancer awareness is part of a week-long annual Emir of Zazzau African Patrons Cup Polo tournament.

 She said: “We need to differentiate between religion and our health. We cannot go to Church or Mosque for our pastors and imams to treat us for cancer. Yes, we can pray because it is only God that can cure us, but God has given us the tools that we need to use to get that cure.

“One of the things that is common is that people will tell you, once you allow the needle to be put on your breast, you are going to die. I know educated people that have refused to go to the hospital because their religious leaders told them not to allow injections for the treatment of cancer. That is not true,” she said.

According to her, if there is anything women need to take away from this programme, it is the importance of early detection to the treatment of breast cancer.

 She said it was early detection that had saved a lot of cancer survivors, urging women to go back and take regular examinations of their breasts very seriously.

 She, however, advised women that, once they suspect cancer, they should go to a teaching hospital where there is a convergence of medical experts, saying that, such is better than patronising any private clinic.