By Zainab Faruq
Bauchi State First Lady, Hajiya Aishatu Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad, has called on women across the state to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to help curb the spread of diseases. Speaking at the 2024 Ningi Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and Free Medical Outreach, organized by Hajiya Abi Hafsa Abubakar Ybl Sulaiman, wife of the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, she urged women to adopt healthier lifestyles to prevent ailments like cancer and to keep their surroundings clean to reduce malaria.
According to Hajiya Aishatu, poor environmental hygiene contributes significantly to the high malaria rate in the state. She stressed the importance of early medical intervention, advising women to visit healthcare centers at the onset of any symptoms.
The awareness walk and medical outreach, held under the theme “No One Should Face Cancer Alone,” aims to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide essential medical support to women in Ningi Local Government Area. During the event, Hajiya Abi Hafsa spoke on the focus of her foundation, which promotes health and education awareness, and expressed gratitude to her husband, the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, for his strong support of women’s health and empowerment initiatives.
“My husband is a prime supporter of women’s development, especially in health awareness, empowerment, and education,” she said. “We appreciate him for his support in carrying out this project.” Highlighting the alarming statistics on breast cancer, she noted, “Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. In Nigeria, it accounts for 23 percent of all cancer cases, with one in twelve women predicted to be diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.”
She stressed the importance of early detection in reducing fatalities, adding, “More women across Bauchi will have the opportunity to gain awareness through my other sisters in leadership roles, and we hope our husbands will sponsor a bill for free breast cancer treatment for women aged forty and above.”
The Chairman of Ningi Local Government Area, Nasiru Zakarai Ningi, commended the Speaker’s wife for the initiative, noting that such programs are vital in educating women about breast cancer. He also praised the Bauchi First Lady’s contributions to healthcare, including her work through the Almuhibbah Foundation.
Ningi urged women to perform regular self-examinations to detect early signs of breast cancer, stressing that timely medical intervention could save lives.
Additionally, Dr. Halima Musa Mukaddas, Medical Director of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre in Ningi, provided insights on breast cancer symptoms and screening methods. She encouraged women to prioritize their health, highlighting that breast cancer is a life-threatening illness that requires urgent attention.
The event concluded with renewed calls for collective action to address women’s health challenges and the importance of support networks in combating breast cancer