The Students’ Union of the “better by far” University is set to launch another feat as she partners the LEAH foundation of the Kwara State First Lady on Breast and Cervical Cancer Campaign programme. The Vice President of the Union, Comr. Imam-Lawal Ummulikhaeri, disclosed in a press statement that, having observed an unimaginable ignorance of some female students and youths about gynaecological cancers, particularly Breast and Cervical Cancers, the Union has concluded all plans to host the first edition of the campaign on her permanent site and the College of Health Sciences, Oke Oyi.
Globally, October is the recognised month for Breast Cancer awareness. Although the Vice President lamented that the Union couldn’t observe the event in the month owing to reasons she attributed to the time being resumption period of the University and the same period of her 40th anniversary celebration, she however explained that the programme would be a commemoration of the event, as the leadership of the Union will not hesitate to remain on global stage.
Justifying the curiosity of holding this programme, Ummulikhaeri said according to research, Breast and Cervical Cancer Disease kills nothing less than 26 women on a daily basis in Nigeria. She described the disease as a vast life-threatening ailment that is not accorded much attention by the people, despite its ravaging hazards. “Shelving the responsibility of enlightening our female members on the causes, and prevention-know-how, of the disease would therefore render us nonchalant,” she argued.
Educating the female students on: severity of the disease; how to run self-breast examination; how to stay protected; and most importantly, staging free screening exercise for the teeming members of the Unilorin community are the main goals of the programme. According to leadership of the Union, the programme would include lecture series and three-day ‘Free Public Screening’ for both female students and staff of the University between the days of 16th and 19th of November 2015.
The President of the Union, Comrade Alao Idris, while contacted, appreciated the Kwara State First Lady, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed for her warm support and acceptance to partner the union on the programme. He re-emphasized that the success of the programme would be a great accomplishment for the both parties.
“As we wish to create broad awareness on how to reduce morbidity and mortality rate caused by breast cancer, we are pleased to inform the entire public that the school authority has approved we set up the first ‘LEAH CANCER CLUB’ in any tertiary institution in Kwara State and perhaps in the whole Nigeria,” the president said cheerfully.