Elochukwu Benjamin
Awka
The ongoing one-week free cancer screening programme organized by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, COOUTH, in honour of the birthdays of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and his wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo has witnessed massive turnout, reflecting the burden of cancer in the state.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, who monitored the commencement of the programme disclosed this in a chat with newsmen in her office.
The exercise, which began on Monday, July 27, will end on Friday, July 31, offering free cervical cancer (Pap smear), mammography and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) screening to eligible residents as part of efforts to promote early detection and prevention of cervical, breast and prostate cancers.
During the inspection of the various screening centres, Umeakuewulu assessed the conduct of the exercise, interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries, and urged members of staff to maintain professionalism while ensuring prompt and quality service delivery.
She expressed satisfaction with the organisation and turnout recorded on the first day, noting that the programme reflects the hospital’s commitment to preventive healthcare through early diagnosis and timely intervention.
The CMD encouraged eligible women and men across the state to take advantage of the free screening before the exercise ends, stressing that early detection remains one of the most effective ways of reducing cancer-related deaths and improving treatment outcomes.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Umeakuewulu said the hospital decided to celebrate the birthdays of Governor Soludo and the First Lady by giving back to the people through healthcare services.
“We are doing this to commemorate the governor’s birthday on July 28 and the First Lady’s birthday on July 31. This is our modest way of appreciating them for everything they are doing for Anambra State, especially in the health sector,” she said.
According to her, Governor Soludo has transformed healthcare in the state through improved workers’ welfare, infrastructure development and the establishment of the Southeast’s only Trauma Centre, while the First Lady has continued to champion preventive healthcare, nutrition and maternal and child health.
“We wanted to celebrate them differently by doing what we know best—providing healthcare. For this one week, we are giving Ndị Anambra access to services many may not ordinarily afford because of financial constraints,” she added.
She noted that a PSA test, which ordinarily costs about ₦20,000, is being offered free of charge during the exercise.
Umeakuewulu described cancer as one of the leading causes of death globally, lamenting that many Nigerians present at hospitals only when the disease has reached advanced stages due to poor screening culture.
She explained that cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria but is largely preventable through early screening, noting that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the disease, can remain undetected in a woman’s body for over a decade before developing into cancer.
She cited global figures showing that more than 350,000 people had died from cervical cancer as of 2024, stressing that routine screening can detect pre-cancerous changes long before they become life-threatening.
On breast cancer, the CMD said mammography remains one of the most effective tools for early detection, but its high cost prevents many women from accessing the service.
“We are trying to identify cases early because mammography is expensive, yet early diagnosis significantly reduces the risk of death,” she said.
Speaking on prostate cancer, she described it as the leading cancer affecting Nigerian men, regretting that many men avoid screening until they develop serious complications.
“Unfortunately, many men only come to the hospital when they are already unable to urinate. At that stage, some cases may have become cancerous,” she said.
She explained that while enlargement of the prostate gland may be non-cancerous, prostate cancer can spread to the bones if left untreated, causing severe disability, including loss of mobility.
Umeakuewulu assured participants that those with negative results would receive guidance on future screening schedules, while those diagnosed with abnormalities would receive appropriate follow-up care and treatment.
“We will walk the journey with anyone whose result comes back positive. Early diagnosis gives us a better chance of successful treatment,” she said.
She disclosed that the hospital initially projected to screen 500 women for cervical cancer, conduct 100 mammograms and carry out 200 PSA tests but said the overwhelming response had exceeded expectations.
According to her, the hospital has deployed additional personnel and resources to accommodate the increasing number of beneficiaries.
She added that data generated from the exercise would help shape future health policies and strengthen collaboration with relevant agencies to address the critical healthcare needs of the people.
