As the Breast Cancer Awareness month ends, the Nigeria Association Of Women Journalists, NAWOJ Lagos, has called on stakeholders to create better access to care. The association believes ending the suffering of those with lived experiences lies in the hands of policy makers, health workers and partners.
Chairperson of the Lagos chapter of NAWOJ, Mrs. Jumoke Johnson, in a Press Release, says as the Breast Cancer Awareness month ends, ending the bottlenecks and inaccessibility to care would give women better fighting chances.
According to Falayi-Johnson, the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, GBCI’s 60-60-80 strategy is a perfect approach to saving every woman going through breast cancer in every corner of Nigeria, reflecting on this year’s theme “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters”.
“When a woman is battling breast cancer and sees the significant support and structures that have been put in place to ensure her survival, she would be encouraged to fight harder. So it’s a chain link, support-structure-survival”, she said.
The GBCI 60-60-80 approach is a strategy that hinges on awareness and care. The strategy is that with more awareness, 60 percent of all invasive breast cancers would be caught not later than stage 2, a definitive diagnosis is made within 60 days of presenting to a healthcare professional, and then at least 80 percent completion of treatment.
“We need more women to go through early detection, proper diagnosis and complete treatment, to increase the positive statistics in our society, and we can do it if we all play our parts. I believe that woman in her remote village does not need to fight breast cancer alone, you could be in a corner officer in Alausa, a Hospital in Ikeja and a live News studio in Obalende, and fighting with her to ensure she survives. Pushing this advocacy in all our capacities would ensure every woman gets a chance”.
Falayi-Johnson adds, “as an association, NAWOJ Lagos would continue to be the bridge between those living the experience of Breast Cancer and those whose jobs it is to help them survive it. Let’s end Breast Cancer by ensuring it does not end more lives”.