OCI Foundation features at the 3-Day conference marking the “2020 International Cancer Week” In Abuja, Nigeria (27/10/20 – 29/10/20).

OCI Foundation features at the 3-Day conference marking the “2020 International Cancer Week” In Abuja, Nigeria (27/10/20 – 29/10/20).

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OCI FOUNDATION FEATURES AT THE 3-DAY CONFERENCE MARKING THE “2020 INTERNATIONAL CANCER WEEK” IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.

 

Over the 3 days from October the 27th to the 29th, the OCI Foundation featured prominently at  the “2020 Edition of the Annual International Cancer Week (ICW)”. The theme for this year’s edition was “Cancer in Nigeria in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond”. It was staged at the NAF Event Centre, Ahmadu Bello Way Abuja, Nigeria.

The event was put together by the National Cancer Control Program (NCCP) of the Department of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Nigeria, and was co-sponsored by the World Health organisation, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and a number of other leading cancer institutions in Nigeria and the world. Nigeria’s Health Minister, Dr Osagie EHANIRE, was among the dignitaries in attendance on Day 1.

Day 1: Dr Fatima

Day 2: Dr Theophilus

The event offered a wide range of in-person and virtual sessions, discussions, trainings, and networking opportunities for experts, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and early and upcoming leaders in cancer control in Nigeria.

The OCI Foundation made the following 3 presentations:

  1. “Fight against Breast And Cervical Cancers in Nigeria: A mixed methods evaluation of a high school intervention, PLUS the role of a Mobile Phone Application” (By A/Prof Chris Ifediora, the OCI Foundation’s President; Zoom Presentation on 28/10/20);
  2. “A re-think on Breast Cancer preventive campaigns: targeting senior secondary school students PLUS the role of a Mobile Phone Application” (By Dr Fatima Anga INUSA; Poster Presentation on 27/10/20);
  3. “A whole new approach to Cervical Cancer Preventive Campaigns in Nigeria and other developing countries” (By Dr Theophilus NWOKEOCHA; Poster Presentation on 28/10/20);

Day 3 (29/10/20) allowed the delegates to brainstorm and review of National Hospice and Palliative Care Policy and the Chemo-safe Policy. The OCI Foundation was represented by Dr Theophilus NWOKEOCHA, a member of the Foundation’s Medical Advocacy Team.

The Other members of the OCI Foundation’s delegation that appeared over the 3 days were Ms Felicia DAGU, Mr Luter Ikyobo, Mr Ifeanyi ANUEYIAGU, and Mr Abdullahi Aliyu RUFAI.

This outing, which allows medical professionals from the OCI Foundation to interact with the scientific community in Nigeria, marks another notable landmark in the OCI Foundation’s commitment to the Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Health Campaign. The Campaign is a novel, Harvard-endorsedWHO-supported, and evidence-based health promotion initiative of the OCI Foundation, which is being introduced across all senior secondary schools in Nigeria as a way of tackling breast and cervical cancers.

In September 2019, it was rolled out across all the 261 senior secondary schools in Anambra State of Nigeria, and a similar event, scheduled for Benue State in May 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  All of Nigeria’s 36 states (and the FCT) are expected to benefit from the ArOY campaign on or before the end of 2025, and the ongoing activities are part of this whole process.

The Campaign has the support of the, NextGenU.org (the World’s first online University), the United States Centers for Disease Control (U.S. CDC) and the University of British Columbia, Canada (ranked 45th in the world, according to the 2021 QS World University Ranking). Experts from these institutions, along with others from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) and the Griffith University (Australia), will work with the OCI Foundation and the Nigerian Government on the roll-out, implementation and monitoring of the ArOY project. In addition, the prestigious Harvard Medical School, USA, of which Dr Chris Ifediora (the Founder of the OCI Foundation) is an Alumnus of, had earlier endorsed the Campaign, and made significant contributions to the Campaign’s design ahead of its roll out in Anambra State last year.

A number of other reputable Nigerian institutions partnering the OCI Foundation on this initiative include the Innoson Group, the NYSC (National Office), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (Nigeria), Nollywood Nigeria, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS)Silk Road Restaurant (Abuja), and the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, PPSSC (Anambra state), among others.

There are also plans to involve the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Nigeria’s Governor’s Forum (which includes the Governors of all the 36 States of Nigeria), and Nigeria’s Ministries of Health, Education and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

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