Cancer: Access Bank screens 200 FRSC officials, targets 5,000

The Access Bank W Initiative has screened 200 female officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in celebration of the global Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The women were screened at the FRSC office, Ojodu Berger, Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that October every year is marked worldwide as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In October, all efforts are devoted to increasing attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of the disease.

The Group Head of W Initiative, Mrs Abiodun Olubitan, said that early screening and detection were still the best approaches to tackling cancers and that the Initiative would be screening no fewer than 5,000 women in October 2022.

“October is declared the breast and cervical cancer month and of course, we have also dedicated the month as our W Health Month which we do every year.

“W Initiative is all about inspiring, connecting and empowering women to improve their lifetsyle, that is why we are screening the women for breast and cervical cancer.

“I encourage you to follow us on our social platform on ‘@ the W community’ and you will see all the exciting things we have for this month,” she said.

Olubitan said that Access Bank partnered with FRSC knowing that women in uniform did not really have time for themselves because of the nature of their jobs.

“So, we have partnered with them to ensure they can get this screening in their location and to ensure they can know their status and know the next step to take,” she said.

The Deputy Corps Commander, Logistics RS 2.1 Lagos, Corps Commander Tajudeen Mafe said that the partnership would help enhance innovative initiatives.

He represented the Sector Commander RS 2.1, Lagos, Corp Commander Olusegun Ogungbemide.

Mafe said that the issue of breast cancer was germaine to the female staff and that they had been enlightened on how to examine themselves for lumps in the breast.

“This effort coming from W Initiative Access Bank also goes in line with our sustainable development goals which deal with healthy living and the well being of an individual.

“We appreciate your efforts and are grateful for counting us worthy.

“FRSC is an elite corps and we pay paramount attention to the well being of our staff because we believe that health is wealth,” he said.

Mr Opeyemi Ologun, a co-founder of Beacon Health Diagnostics, said that Access Bank partnered  Beacon to help carry out the screening tests during the month of the cancer awareness programme.

According to Ologun, screenings like Papsmear are to be carried out randomly by older women while girls from ages  10 to 26 should get the Human Papilloma Vaccine (HPV) as preventive measures against cervical cancer.

“I also advise women to quit smoking if they do.

“They should also regularly use condom if they have multiple sexual partners as protective measures against cervical cancer,” he said. (NAN)