By Ige Adekunle
Dr Chidiebere Ogo,an Urologist, has warned men above 40 years against excessive consumption of red meats to reduce the burdens of Prostate Cancer in the country.
Ogo, who is also a Chief Consultant, Federal Medical Centre,Abeokuta, gave the warning a Prostate Cancer Awareness & Screening on Monday in Ado-Odo/Ota,Ogun.
The 2024 programme organised by Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication African Centre of Excellence (CApiC-ACE), Covenant University,Ota,was in partnership with Prostrate Cancer Transatiantic Consortium( CAp TC) and Beulah World Initiative(BWI)
According to him, excessive intake of red meats by males above 40 years has the tendency of increasing the risk of Prostate Cancer.
“Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer that afflicting and killed men in the country.
“It is the most common cause of cancer related dead among men in Nigeria.
“The prostate cancer could be fatai if this disease is not detected early and appropriate treatment was not ministered to the patient.”he said.
The urologist advised men,who are 40 year above,especially those with the history family of prostate cancer to present themselves to a doctor to be screened.
“So we encourage men to go for cancer screening, knowing the high incidences and high mortality rate of the prostate cancer.”Ogo said.
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The urologist explained that every man has a prostate gland,which could be afflicted by prostate cancer,saying that early detection was the key to survival of the patient.
He noted that prostate cancer is not a death sentence once it is detected early,such individual could be cured from it.
The urologist appealed to federal government to make concerted efforts to open more cancer screening centre,as the country does not have a nation wide screening.
Also,Prof.Emeka Iwela,Centre Leader,CApIC-ACE/CApTC, Covenant University,Ota,said that one of the reasons they embarked on the awareness is because prostate cancer is one of the deadly cancer among men in Nigeria and beyond.
Iwela,also a biochemist,said that they decided to create awareness so that people would know about prostate cancer and not only knowing, but they should understand what it is,they should understand the causes of prostrate cancer.
He added that the public should be e able to also known the symptoms of prostrate cancer and how to treat it.
The don cautioned the public against self medication,adding that they should consult the right medical personnel in order to get early diagnosis.
Ms Chichi Ononiwo,Founder of BWI,said that the psychological and social impact can be relentless,presenting challenges not just at diagnosis but throughout treatment and even well into recovery.
Ononiwo explained that there were many factors that influence how a patient responds to diagnosis of cancer,manages the ongoing challenges of treatment,and navigates their post treatment life,including interaction with their care team,social support,coping style, personality and socioeconomic status.
One of the beneficiary of the screening exercise,Alhaji Adeyinka Aremu,commended the organiser of the awareness and screening exercise as this has made him to have more knowledge about prostrate cancer.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 100 residents of Ado-Odo/Ota, were given free cancer screening to know their status on prostrate cancer.(NAN)
Prostate Cancer: Urologist warns men against red meats intake to reduce burdens
