FG Launches Sports Fiesta To Tackle Cancer Among Public Servants
…Promoting prevention over treatment in the fight against cancer
At a time when cancer continues to claim thousands of Nigerian lives each year, the Federal Government is shifting focus from treatment to prevention, through awareness, fitness, and early screening.
On Saturday, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in partnership with the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), launched a National Sports and Fitness Fiesta Against Cancer at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
The initiative, the first of its kind in Nigeria, provided free cancer screening for over 1,000 public servants, marking a bold step in the fight against late-stage cancer diagnoses.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the campaign was more than a fitness event, it was a declaration of hope.
“Without health, there is no service. Without health, there is no progress,” she stated, urging civil servants to undergo free screenings for breast, cervical, and prostate cancers.
Represented by Mrs Patience Nwakuso Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Walson-Jack commended the strong turnout of workers across ministries and agencies, describing it as evidence that the civil service was leading by example.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, called the event “epoch-making,” revealing that Nigeria records over 127,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer making up nearly a quarter.
She noted that over 80% of cancers in Nigeria are detected at late stages, unlike in developed nations where early screening saves more lives.
“This is why we must act,” Kachollom stressed, pledging that the ministry would push for state-level cancer control programmes to institutionalise routine screening across Nigeria.
Medical experts at the event, including Dr Oyiza Oza, Head of Oncology at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, reinforced the message that prevention and early detection remain the most effective defence.
The fiesta featured fitness sessions, awareness talks, and awards for the best participating ministries. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare won the Best Behaved MDA award.
As Nigeria observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the government’s message is clear, wellness begins with awareness, and prevention is the best cure.
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