By David Torough, Abuja

The Idoma Medical Doctors Foundation (IMDF) has organised its maiden Cancer Awareness Week in commemoration of this year’s World Cancer Day, bringing together health professionals, government officials and traditional leaders in a coordinated campaign against the disease.

The three-day programme, tagged Sonny Echono Cancer Awareness Week, was described as the first major project of the current IMDF Executive Committee (EXCO).

The event attracted prominent stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc.

The awareness drive was led by IMDF President, Prof. Steve Abah, a former Acting Vice-Chancellor of FUHSO, while planning was coordinated by a committee chaired by Prof. Edache Sylvanus Okpe.

Activities commenced with an advocacy visit to the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Hon. Maxwell Ogiri, where discussions focused on mobilising grassroots support for sustained health interventions.

The foundation also aired radio jingles and hosted interactive programmes anchored by Prof. Audu Onyemocho and Dr. Irowa, educating listeners on cancer prevention, early detection and available healthcare services. The sessions emphasised lifestyle modification, routine screening and timely diagnosis, while providing an opportunity for public engagement.

An awareness walk to the Primary Health Care Centre in Otukpo formed part of the campaign, during which residents received educational materials and counselling on risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, unsafe sexual practices and environmental exposure.

On the second day, the team paid an advocacy visit to the FUHSOTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Teddy Agida, to deepen institutional collaboration. The sensitisation campaign later moved to Ojale, home of the IMDF Secretariat, where community members gathered for further enlightenment.

The Oche-Ohimini, traditional ruler of Ohimini, received the delegation, demonstrating royal support for the initiative. The session featured prayers and a specially composed song by Prof. Audu Onyemocho designed to simplify cancer awareness messages and encourage proactive health-seeking behaviour.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ogwuche Paul, commended IMDF for championing cancer awareness and pledged continued government support for related programmes. Prof. Abah reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to bridging healthcare gaps, particularly in underserved communities.

The final day of the programme focused on plans to establish a cancer registry at the FUHSO Teaching Hospital. Organisers explained that the registry would strengthen data collection, enhance research capacity and support evidence-based policy decisions to improve cancer prevention and treatment outcomes.

Healthcare professionals and stakeholders at the session underscored the importance of systematic tracking of cancer cases to guide resource allocation and epidemiological studies.
IMDF noted that the Cancer Awareness Week was designed to foster collaboration among government agencies, medical practitioners and traditional institutions in confronting the burden of cancer in the region.

Mongolia National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) on Tuesday announced that 22 new cases of measles infection have been registered over the past 24 hours, bringing the national caseload to 13,989.

The NCCD said in a statement that 56 people remained in the hospital, including five critically ill children.

On Dec.

Therefore, the NCCD advised parents to protect their children from a potentially severe disease by getting them two doses of the measles vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact.

Common complications include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes. The disease can be prevented by immunization.

 Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, a retired Director of Public Health in the Federal Ministry of Health, has warned that snakebite envenoming, classified as a highest-priority Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), is a major public health threat in Nigeria.

Anyaike, said on Monday in Abuja, describing snakebite as a “silent killer” that disproportionately affects farmers, herders and rural dwellers, groups critical to the nation’s food security and economic stability.

Recent data presented during  the World NTD Day 2026 indicate that Nigeria remains one of the world’s high-burden countries for snakebite envenoming, with the Carpet Viper (Echis ocellatus) accounting for over 60 per cent of reported cases.

He noted that inspite of the availability of effective treatment, outcomes remain poor due to delayed hospital presentation, inadequate health facility capacity and widespread reliance on traditional remedies.

“About 82 per cent of snakebite victims first seek traditional treatment. “These delays significantly increase the risk of death or permanent disability,” he said.

He emphasised that snakebite is not just a medical emergency but a socio-economic crisis.

“When a farmer is bitten, the impact goes beyond the individual. It affects household income, food production, and community resilience,” he said.

According to him, findings also reveal that nearly half of health facilities in high-burden areas lack the full capacity to administer antivenom, citing shortages of trained personnel, cold-chain systems and consistent antivenom supply.

“Specialised centres such as the Kaltungo Snakebite Hospital in Gombe State, as well as facilities in Bauchi State, have become referral points for severe cases, highlighting the limited distribution of functional snakebite treatment centres across the country,”.

He stressed that prevention remains one of the most effective strategies to reduce snakebite incidence, particularly among farmers and rural residents.

He advised residents to use torches or flashlights when walking outdoors at night, wear thick knee-high boots and long trousers when working on farms or in tall grass, and keep surroundings free of debris, woodpiles and overgrown weeds where snakes often hide.

He also highlighted the importance of a correct first-aid response in the event of a bite. “If a bite occurs, time is life. Victims should stay calm, move away from the snake, immobilise the affected limb and seek immediate medical care,” he said.

He cautioned against harmful practices such as tying tourniquets, cutting or sucking the wound, and applying herbs, noting that such actions often worsen injuries and increase the likelihood of infection and amputation.

“These practices do not neutralise venom. Delays in getting antivenom remain the leading cause of snakebite deaths in Nigeria,” he said.

He called for improved antivenom access, strengthened rural health infrastructure, and sustained public awareness campaigns as Nigeria aligns with the World Health Organisation’s target of halving snakebite deaths and disabilities by 2030.

He urged governments, development partners and communities to treat snakebite envenoming with urgency, stressing that awareness, early treatment and health system investment could save thousands of lives annually/

The WHO also said Nigeria is among the countries worst affected by snakebites, with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 cases and roughly 2,000 deaths annually.

Some estimates of the WHO, suggested that the burden was higher, with 43,000 cases and 1,900 deaths reported in 2025 data. (NAN)