CSR: Access Bank Commences Fibroid Awareness Campaign

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Access Bank has announced the commencement of its nationwide “2nd Fibroid Awareness Campaign” as part of its pioneering CSR intervention, Project 111.

The campaign, which would run all through the month of July 2024, will start with a webinar on creating awareness of fibroid among the female populace.   

The Project 111 is a CSR initiative led by Access Bank’s Retail Banking Group Team dedicated to raising awareness about fibroids and providing essential support to women across Nigeria.

It is also an initiative to treat one woman at a time, change her family, and by extension, generations to follow.

Deputy Managing Director, Retail, Access Bank, Ms. Chizoma Okoli, who commented on the programme, said: “At Access Bank, we believe that our responsibility extends beyond banking.

“We are dedicated to the well-being of our customers and communities. This campaign is a testament to our commitment to supporting women’s health and ensuring they have the information and resources they need to lead healthy lives.

“Project 111 was officially launched in 2022, when we provided more than 100 free fibroid surgeries in five geopolitical zones to directly touch over 4,000 lives, while creating a ripple effect of positive change with over 16,000 impacted lives.

“This year, we are raising the bar of this social responsibility, targeting 100,000 women, providing 500 women with free diagnostic tests, and aiding 100 women in need of surgeries.”

Uterine leiomyomas or fibroids are benign growths that can be extremely large and cause substantial discomfort, including bright red vaginal bleeding, constipation, bloating, and severe pelvic and low back pain that interferes with women’s daily functioning and child-bearing capability.

Okoli further explained that “the initiative comes on the heels of the general lack of awareness on the part of women as highlighted in key statistics that 70-80 per cent of women will develop fibroid at some point in their lifetime, but only 38 per cent were aware of the available treatment.

“These statistics emphasise the importance of Project 111, which focuses on creating awareness and support for women who struggle with the issues around fibroid and its effects”.

Speaking in the same vein, Access Bank’s Group Head, Consumer Banking, Njideka Esomeju, said: “As part of our kick off activities to flag off the 2nd Fibroid campaign, we will be having a free Fibroid screenings and community health talk across 20 states.

“We will also have a webinar to listen and address women affected with Fibroids and other related health issues.

“When we launched in 2022, we had a webinar addressing women affected by fibroids and in efforts to be at the forefront of public support for women’s health in Nigeria, we began the ‘Wear White Campaign’ in July last year during the Fibroid Awareness Month.

“In this pilot phase, the awareness and education campaign reached 17,266 women across 33 countries, with 156 women given access to proper diagnosis, assessment, and treatment recommendations.

“You need to hear from our beneficiaries on how they have benefited from the project and the effects it has impacted on their lives.

“So we invite everyone to join us in this month for this important campaign. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of countless women by spreading knowledge, encouraging early diagnosis, and providing much-needed support”.