Vanguard News, Nigeria: NGO (OCI Foundation) partners with the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) on cancer prevention, reduction in Nigeria

By: Dirisu Yakubu, Vanguard News, Abuja, Nigera

Original Source: Vanguard News, Nigeria

June 4, 2021

An international Non-Governmental Organization, the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora Foundation, OCI, is set to collaborate with the Nigeria Cancer Society, NCS on ways of mitigating the impact of cancer in Nigeria.

This is as the foundation is ready to deploy its Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Health campaign, which primary aim is to introduce anti-breast and anti-cervical cancer teachings into the curriculum of all senior secondary schools in the country

Vanguard reports that the Arm Our Youths Health campaign commenced in 2019, and aims to cover the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, by 2025.

This decision was reached at the end of a virtual meeting and award ceremony, organized by the Nigerian Medical Students Association, NIMSA, and sponsored by Professor Chris Ifediora, President of the OCI Foundation.

Dr. Adamu Al-hassan, President of NCS who attended the event noted that the First Ladies Against Cancer, FLAC, is another veritable partner in addressing cancer related issues in Nigeria, promising to bring it on board for the success of the health campaign.

According to the NCS boss, the society remained open to discuss details of the programme and other similar programmes that will follow which will ultimately translate to benefits for Nigeria’s teeming population.

Dr. Adamu described the ArOY initiative as “very timely and well intentioned,” explaining that the whole idea is to drum it into the consciousness of Nigerians that “Prevention is better than cure.”

Responding, the President of OCI Foundation, Professor Chris Ifediora said that the partnership (NCS-FLAC-OCI Foundation) will expedite the roll-out of the Arm Our Youths health campaign across all the senior secondary schools across all states in Nigeria.

He added that already, the OCI Foundation has the ideas, technology, and plans to get this partnership to a glittering start, expressing hope that the partnership will be a huge success.

Professor Ifediora further explained that the Foundation was already in touch with a number of the First Ladies, some of whom are active members of FLAC. He made particular reference to the First Ladies of Niger, Benue, Kebbi, Ondo and Nasarrawa states stressing that the awareness of the ArOY Health Campaign, will make a formalization of this 3-way partnership easy.

“Our associations with the Federal Ministries of Health and Women Affairs, as well as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, will all be leveraged to ensure that this partnership yields the huge and sustained dividends it has the potentials for,” he added.