Organisation Offers Free Cancer Screening to Residents of Eti-Osa against Cancer

Rebecca Ejifoma

A team of medical experts from the Dennis Ashley Wellness Clinic in collaboration with Eti-Osa Primary Healthcare Centre Lagos carried out free comprehensive community medical outreach in the LGA in its awareness drive against hypertension, cancer and diabetes as efforts to stem the tide.

The exercise was second of its kind focus on non communicable diseases such as blood pressure, blood sugar level, cancer, weight, among others.

Speaking during the activities, the Managing Director, Dennis Ashley Wellness Centre, Dr. Chima Oti, said the programme was to sensitise the community on the dangers of NCDs.

He explained that most times people are worried about communicable diseases without paying attention to NCDs since it is often without symptom.

“When blood pressure is too high, it affects what we call end organs – which can cause kidney failure, stroke. When that occurs, it is difficult for people to recover from it. Diabetes can make people go blind and cause several other damages. We all know that failure to detect cancer on time can lead to death,” he added.

Oti, however, pointed out the need for people to do away with ‘not my portion’ slogan and go for regular medical check-up, “that is not the way to healthy living. Nigerians need to be conscious of their health. If you detect disease at early stage you have a better chance of preventing the disease getting worse. We need to start moving from treatment to prevention because that will make a big different.”

According to him, people should live healthy life, eat balance diet, exercise and don’t have blood pressure that is above World Health Organisation recommendation, adding that once you are a black man aged 40 to 45 years you need to check your blood pressure regularly. Also by losing weight alone, you can reduce the chance of diabetes.

Chairman House Committee on Health, Business Rule, Ethics and Privileges in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Mr. Rotimi Ojutawo, commended the organiser for the gesture and urged the residence to adhere to the doctors’ recommendations.

“We are happy for this gesture. Although we usually benefit from such free medical check-up in our local government, comprehensive screening like this is not common and the level of turn out gladdens my heart,” he added.

Now, one of the beneficiaries, Mr. Jude Emmanuel – who is a security guard – expressed shock over the outcome of his screening, “Am just 37 years old. I was shocked when the doctor told me that my blood pressure is high. I know that I think too much about how to survive but didn’t really know that such can increase my BP.”

Another beneficiary of cancer screening, Mrs. Eniola Ayokunle, told THISDAY, “I was feeling something like lump in my breast. I have been scared. Because I didn’t have money, I could not go to hospital. The registration fee alone will scare you away. But today, all my doubts have been cleared.”