By LOIS DADUUT
As the world marks Cancer Awareness Month, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Plateau State Chapter, has called for intensified action against cancer, highlighting the urgent need for accessible and affordable screening services across Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Chairperson, Mrs Grace Akwe Gotip, NAWOJ emphasised that cancer remained one of the gravest public health challenges, with women carrying a disproportionate burden — particularly from breast and cervical cancers, which are leading causes of preventable deaths among Nigerian women.
The association maintained that awareness and early detection were crucial to saving lives, urging women, especially those in rural areas, to embrace available screening opportunities.
“Cancer’s toll is severe, and the pathway to survival hinges on knowledge and timely intervention,” the statement noted.
NAWOJ issued “a direct call to government agencies, healthcare institutions, civil society organisations, and the corporate sector to immediately intensify efforts towards ensuring the provision of accessible, affordable, and continuous cancer screening and treatment services across the state,” pointing out that collaboration and sustained public health communication were indispensable tools for winning the fight against this silent killer.
Gotip expressed deep solidarity with cancer survivors, describing them as embodiments of resilience and hope, while honouring the memories of those who had lost their lives to the disease.
She emphasised that “their stories fuel our resolve for a healthier future for all.”
She added that “the fight against cancer demands a unified approach,” assuring that “NAWOJ Plateau State Chapter remains steadfast in championing awareness, promoting healthy living, and ensuring that no woman’s well-being is overlooked.”
Gotip further reassured women that “together, we can establish early detection and prevention as a deeply embedded cultural practice.”