University Don Urges FG To Formulate National Policy On Cervical Cancer

A University Don, Prof. G.O. Avwioro has called on the Federal Government to formulate a National policy to vaccinate all female children below the ages of twelve to prevent cervical cancer in women in the next twenty to thirty years.

Prof. Avwioro of the Delta State University, Abraka, made the call during a lecture he delivered at the 19th Annual National Conference & Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD) held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

He noted that for Nigeria to make head way in the fight against increasing cases of cancer in women, he said “Firs is to have it as National Policy where all children below the age of 12 are vaccinated against human papiloman virus.”

Prof. Avwiro who lecture was centered on the theme of the GMLD 19th Annual National Conference “Cancer: Emerging Diagnostic Platforms: The Medical Laboratory and Patient Prognosis,” noted that vaccine is expensive, he however, expressed the belief that same can be subsidized so as to reduce and eradicate cancer of the cervis from the society.

He stated that the causes of cancer includes Physical, chemical and biological sources, stressing that several chemicals which previously were not known to be carcinogens are now causing cancer.

The Academician who opined that the hospitals in Nigeria are well funded to tackle cancer and other diseases noted that the major problem in the country  is “management”.

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According to him, “The Chief Medical Directors are Medical Directors who are heads of these hospitals and not well positioned.  I do not want to use the word that they are poor managers. But essentially, they are not well positioned in running the teaching and specialists hospitals and indeed all other hospitals. And there are many reasons for this.

“The Management of the hospitals do not understand priorities.They need to priorities all the activities in the hospitals in other to achieve maximum health care delivery.”

Earlier in an address, GMLD’s National President, Mrs. Chioma Austin Onuorah stated that the major challenge plaguing the guild is “quackery” stressing that the Government who is supposed be custodian of law is the one who sometimes ignorantly permit same in the profession.

Onuorah noted that the GMLD has been engaging advocacy and discussions with the quacks with a view to sensitize and make turn a new leaf even though its has identified that government has been making mistakes.

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