Minister of Health, Akande, Others to Grace Endo Gala Night in Lagos

.As Nordica aims to reward fertility reportage in Nigeria

Martins Ifijeh
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, foremost industrialist and economist, Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande, Wives of Governors and other dignitaries will champion this year’s Endometriosis Awareness Campaign Gala Night by 19th March in Lagos, and hosted by the Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN).

Speaking during a press conference to announce activities to mark this year’s Endometriosis Awareness Campaign, the Lead Medical Consultant, ESGN, and the Managing Director, Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said the aim of the campaign was to draw attention to the ‘invisible disease’ affecting millions of Nigerian women.

Endometriosis is a medical condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows in other places, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries or along the pelvis. And when that lining breaks down, like the regular lining in the uterus that produces the menstruation, it has nowhere to go.
Dr. Ajayi said the disease was often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, yet it was treatable and preventable, adding that women need not go through the pain and discomfort resulting from the condition.

“While the symptoms may include pain, irregular bleeding and infertility, it presently has no cure, but can be well managed,” he added.

He said the aim of this year’s campaign was to bring awareness to the society, especially adolescents.

According to the organisers, the awareness campaign will start with a walk in Abuja on March 2nd, another walk in Lagos on March 11, a host of other activities, and then will be crowned up with the Endo Gala Night March 19th.

Meanwhile, Nordica has announced the opening of entries for the Nordica Media Merit Awards (NMMA), which will reward excellence in fertility reportage across electronic, digital and the print medium in Nigeria.

The awards, which annually celebrates in-depth and informative report on In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), hopes to continue to encourage journalists to make fertility issues, which affects over 25 per cent of Nigerian couples, a front burner, such that with more awareness, Nigerians suffering from the condition can seek help.

The NMMA celebrates the talented work of journalists that increase public awareness about fertility issue with exceptional stories

According to Nordica, those eligible to apply are journalists who have written or aired stories on fertility between January 2016 and January 31st 2017. Submission of entries started January 13th and is billed to end February 14th. Entries can be submitted thorugh the award’s website, www.nmma.com.ng

The winners in the three categories, who will go home with a cash prize of N250,000 each, will be announced at the Gala Night to end the endometriosis campaign March 19th.