Prof Olayemi Akhigbe
* Laments late presentation of cases
By Kingsley Abavo in Benin
A University don, Prof. Adenike Olayemi Akhigbe on Thursday, 6 June, 2024 advocated the urgent need for an awareness campaign to drastically reduce cases of breast cancer among women in Nigeria.
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Even health workers had such an embarrassing low level of awareness of the ailment, She laments.
Akhigbe made the call while delivering the 312th inaugural lecture of the University of Benin titled: ‘Seeing the Unseen: Medical Imaging to the Rescue’.
Akhigbe, who is a professor of radiology said late presentation has been observed to be the bane of breast cancer in Nigeria adding that there is a very poor knowledge about the risk factors for breast cancer.
Stressing the need for a robust awareness campaign to tackle breast cancer ailments; the professor of radiology noted reduction in breast cancer mortality has been reported in developed countries from population studies.
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But Africa was far behind developed countries which have established national screening programmes for breast cancer She added; lamenting that there is no established screening programme in the country.
“Late presentation of breast cancer in Nigeria has been linked to poverty, ignorance, poor access to care and under-education among other possible causes but health beliefs and cancer fatalism has been found to influence participation in breast cancer screening programmes in other studies.
“The effects of health beliefs on the practice of breast cancer screening were accessed among 225 women between the age of 30 to 60 years, using Champions Health Belief Model Scale and Powe Cancer Fatalism Scale.
“We found that a higher percentage of the women do not perform Breast Self-Examination (BSE) regularly and the majority of the women have never had mammography done.
“The study showed significant barriers from the health belief model and high level of breast cancer fatalism that impact negatively on the practice of the two main screening methods, BSE and mammography.
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“There is a need for us to understand the psychological and psychosocial barriers that deter Nigerian women from having breast cancer awareness as well as routine screening.
“Such information can be useful in putting together culturally relevant awareness literature and media content that address these barriers.”
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adesina Ayinde said the topic was apt as it aims to advance the field of medical imaging while prioritizing patient care and safety.
