By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
More than 500 women of childbearing age and adolescent girls have benefited from free breast and cervical cancer screening in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The outreach intervention was organised by the Bauchi State chapter of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) with support from the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
The exercise, held at the General Hospital, Alkaleri, aimed to raise awareness on the rising burden of both cancers among women in the region.
Bauchi MWAN Chapter Chairperson, Dr. Umma-Hanni Ja’afar, said the initiative—sponsored by NEDC across the six North-East states—supports the WHO global “90-70-90” target for eliminating cervical cancer through vaccination, screening, and treatment.
She emphasized the importance of community outreach, noting that many women in rural areas remain unaware of these diseases, their risks, and available preventive services.
Representative of NEDC Bauchi State office, Mohammed Amir Ali, said the Commission prioritizes health as part of its stabilization and development plan for the North-East, where poverty and the impact of insurgency have increased health vulnerabilities.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the screening, describing it as a timely and much-needed intervention.
