NAN-H-52
Check up
By Modupe Seriboh
Ibadan, Sept. 27, 2016 (NAN) The wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, on Tuesday urged residents of the state to pay attention to their health to ensure their well-being.
She spoke in Ibadan during a walk organised by the Access to Basic (medical) Care Foundation to create awareness on cancer.
The walk was part of activities to commemorate the third year anniversary of the foundation, which was founded by the governor’s wife.
Participants walked from the ABC Clinic in Ibadan South-East Local Government, through Aleshinloye, to the Recreation club in the Adamasigba area of the state.
The governor’s wife urged people not to live in denial or feign ignorance of cancer’s existence as it was a reality.
” The best way to avert the consistent and continued pattern of cancer claiming lives is early detection through check up such as the mammogram, sonogram and pap smear,’’ she said.
Ajimobi said although everyone would die, some deaths could be averted by paying closer attention to one’s health.
“Early detection increases the chances of survival and preserves many more lives,’’ she said.
A medical doctor with the foundation, Tobi Lawrence, also reiterated that early detection was vital in tackling cancer.
He explained that cancer is a canker that affects both men and women and could be manifest in the brain, breast, prostate, cervix or skin, among others.
Lawrence urged the people not to take any unhealthy feeling as insignificant, but to make sure they get adequate diagnosis and care.
According to him, many people trivialise the condition and generalise all medical conditions to be malaria and apply self medication.
“To attain optimum health, check up must be done at regular intervals based on an individual’s age,” he said.
The Chief Operating Officer of the foundation, Mrs Dolapo Oyedipe, called on the public to exploit the opportunity of the free medical checkup provided by the group.
She said that it had attended to no fewer than 35,000 people at no cost.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the week- long anniversary programme, continues till Friday. (NAN)
MAM/SOA
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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle