BY RITA OYIBOKA
IN commemoration of the 2025 World Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the State Coordinator of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCD), Ministry of Health, and Delta State Coordinator of the Youth Arm of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Dr. Rita Opene, has tasked women across Delta State to take breast self-examination seriously, stressing that early detection remains the most effective way to beat breast cancer.
She made this call during activities marking this year’s Global Breast Cancer Awareness Month, organised by the Delta State Ministry of Health. The annual event, celebrated every October, aims to raise awareness of breast cancer, the world’s leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.
The event kicked off with a free breast and cervical cancer screening exercise at the Ministry of Health Secretariat Clinic, Asaba, where many women turned out to get tested. The exercise was led by Dr. Opene, who explained that the screening was part of the ministry’s broader commitment to reducing deaths from preventable cancers among women in Delta State.
Speaking after the “Pink Walk”, Dr. Opene highlighted the alarming prevalence of breast cancer in Nigeria, revealing that the country recorded 32,278 new cases and 16,332 deaths in 2022 alone, accounting for about 25.3 per cent of all new cancer cases nationwide. She attributed the rise in cases to several factors, including late marriage and childbirth, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, family history, poor screening culture, and late diagnosis.
According to her, breast cancer risk factors can be grouped into reproductive, lifestyle, genetic, hormonal, environmental, and systemic categories. She listed late first childbirth, low parity, and short breastfeeding duration as hormonal risks; obesity, alcohol intake, and inactivity as modifiable lifestyle risks, while family history and the BRCA1/2 gene mutation remain non-modifiable genetic risks. Other risks include early menstruation, late menopause, and prolonged use of hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Opene urged women to adopt preventive measures through regular exercise, healthy eating, breastfeeding, and avoidance of excessive alcohol. She also emphasised the importance of monthly breast self-examination, clinical breast checks, and mammography. For those with a family history of breast cancer, she encouraged genetic testing and early reporting of any changes or abnormalities in the breast to healthcare facilities.
The health expert commended the efforts of the Delta State Government and other health organisations for supporting awareness campaigns and community outreach programmes. She noted that such public health initiatives, especially through social media, television, radio, and newspapers, have significantly improved understanding of the disease and encouraged more women to get screened.
Dr. Opene further appealed to breast cancer survivors to continue championing the cause, saying, “Survivors are symbols of hope and should lend their voices to spread awareness. Together, we can save more lives because early detection truly saves lives.”
The awareness walk drew hundreds of women, many dressed in pink, who marched through the major streets of Asaba, distributing educational flyers and encouraging others to go for regular screening. Health education sessions were also held during the walk, focusing on the risk factors, prevention, and treatment options available for breast cancer.
Among dignitaries present were Dr. M.O. Osarenkhoe, Director of the Asaba Cancer Registry, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, and Chairman of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Delta State, Dr. Uche Okwe, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, and Secretary of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Delta State; and Lady Vivien Anaka, Chief Executive Officer of Blossom Care Foundation.
