The official flag off of cervical cancer screening in Imo state took place Thursday with the Ministry of Health, National Task Force on Cancer Elimination, World Health Organisation and other partners and stakeholders in attendance.
The governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who flagged off the ceremony said before now, cancer was regarded as deadly but today, such perception had changed as submission for screening and provision of its vaccine had brought the desired solution.
Uzodimma noted that all that was needed was for people to agree with the messengers of the Cancer Elimination Programne and take the message to the town halls, markets, churches and schools to help the womenfolk.
He charged community leaders and traditional rulers to take the message seriously by ensuring total elimination of cancer and pledged his government’s support to the programme.
Earlier, the first lady, Mrs Chioma Uzodimma, who is also the chairperson of first ladies on the Elimination of Cervical Cancer, had noted that the urgency of the programme needed not to be over-stated as many women had been identified as having the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) otherwise known as cervical cancer.
Mrs Uzodimma thanked the wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for supporting the programme with the sum of N1billion.