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Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Women, excellent investment as finance leaders urge increased support - NaijaAgroNet

Leaders from multilateral development banks, financial institutions and the private sector called on peers to dispel myths about women being too “high risk” for financing and offer more financial services for women in business to close the gender finance gap, reports NaijaAgroNet.

“We know that women are a good bet. We know they pay back. We know they run excellent businesses – and yet they are not getting financed,” said Dr Jennifer Blanke, African Development Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

An important step is for multilateral development banks to offer credit guarantees to commercial banks to invest in women entrepreneurs, Blanke said.

“We know that if we provide those guarantees, then the banks are going to be lending to a lot more women, and they are going to discover that women are an excellent bet – and are an excellent investment.”

Blanke and other leaders were speaking at the “Using Innovative Financing Mechanisms to Accelerate Finance for Women in Business” plenary panel session at the Global Gender Summit on Tuesday.

The international gathering of gender champions from government, finance institutions, multilateral development banks, civil society and private industry, runs from 25 - 27 November in Kigali, Rwanda.

Panelists acknowledged that strides have been taken to bring gender equity to financing. However, according to World Economic Forum data, at current rates of progress it will take at least 200 years to close the global pay gap between men and women.

Asian Development Bank’s Gender Lead, Sakiko Tanaka, noted this 2019 Global Gender Summit has seen increased awareness of the need for women’s financial inclusion to achieve gender equality.

“There’s more money coming in for gender equality. However, there are still major gaps globally and as well as in each region,” said Tanaka, who also serves as chairperson of the multilateral development bank working group on gender.

Women face unique constraints such as poorer access to collateral and land, running smaller business compared to male entrepreneurs and blurred lines between women’s personal and professional finance spend.

Wendy Teleki, Head of the We-Fi (Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative) Secretariat and the panel moderator, led the six panelists in exploring how financial institutions and multilateral development banks are innovating to expand women’s access to finance. Aside from risk-sharing interventions like credit guarantees to lenders, panelists said increasing women’s financial literacy was also key to closing the gender gap.

“It’s not about corporate social responsibility or charity,” said panelist Barbara Rambousek, Director for Gender and Economic Inclusion at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. “It is about developing that business case and developing a proper set of financial and non-financial services.”

In Africa, 70% of women are excluded financially and there is a $42 billion financing gap between men and women. Yet panelist Solomon Lartey, Managing Director and CEO of Activa International Insurance Ghana sees opportunity, particularly in West Africa, home to what he says is the world’s highest rate of women entrepreneurs.

“To get women where they want to be, we had to walk with them. The first thing is training them [about financial services], then granting them access to legal assistance and to financial education – we have to do all those things,” Lartey said.

The panel also discussed innovations related to financial technology, alternative credit information, and online tools for financial services as a way to grow businesses.

In some developing regions of the world, women face challenges getting basic documents like a birth certificate, required by commercial bank applications.

Tesi Rusagara, the head of Kigali Innovation City, said the more services for documentation and financing tools are brought online, the more value will be created for women.

John Wilson, CEO of Equity Bank, added that it is important to not only use data and technology in financial services, but to also have a physical presence where clients are, to make a human connection.

Uj. N. Dominic/Editor


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Monday, November 25, 2019

Total builds on Brulpadda success, heralds new era for South Africa - NaijaAgroNet

One of the most important discoveries of the year took place 175km off the southern coast of South Africa where Total has made a gas condensate discovery on the Brulpadda prospects, located on Block 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The exploration well encountered 57 metres of net gas condensate play in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs. Following the success of the main objective, the well was deepened to a final depth of 3,633 metres and has also been successful in the Brulpadda-deep prospect.

Speaking at Africa Oil Week last week (Africa-OilWeek.com), Dr Enzo Insalaco, Vice President Exploration Africa at Total explained that South Africa has become an interesting area for exploration. “When you look at the fundamentals, you can see a scenario where there are a number of significant, relatively underexplored basins and many of the play fundamentals are present in these places,” he said. “We see that there's a lot of scope for exploration and significant potential.”

That interest has been illustrated by the recent activity by the industry, which has seen a significant amount of seismic capture and blocks being taken in Namibia and South Africa. “Much of that activity is early-stage, so 2D or 3D,” Insalaco added. “What we will see in the next few years is an uptick in reservoir drilling and exploration. We have a strong position in the oil basin, so we have a couple of blocks in the Orange Basin and in South Africa the 11B/12B block where this discovery was made.”

Opening a new petroleum basin:

For Total, Brulpadda was certainly a high impact well for opening up what they believe is a significant petroleum basin. “It was a very bold technical well,” Insalaco continued. “Many people may not realise that the well was actually drilled on 2D. It is a deep offshore well, so drilling on 2D was a very bold move. But given our understanding of the basin and the innovations we did on the operations, this well could be drilled safely and successfully on 2D.”

“As we know, it was an operational success just as much as a technical success; we drilled the well within budget, within time and in terms of NPT we have about 3% of NPT and 3% waiting on weather. If you consider the conditions, that is fantastic operational performance. We drilled the well to the main reservoir log and then we went down to a deeper reservoir.”

“We did extensive logging records, took samples of fluid, reservoir and source rock. It was a fantastic result in terms of operational performance and data acquisition. It is a gas and condensate and oil discovery, both traces were found. The reservoirs were well-developed with good fluid and reservoir properties. You could not really wish for more information from an exploration well. That data acquisition has really put us in a great position going forward to be able to accelerate the next level and the evaluation.”

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NMA honours Imo Deputy Governor, Irona - NaijaAgroNet

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona has been honoured by the Imo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) with a meritorious service award, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Deputy Governor gave the charge while speaking at the grand finale of the Association’s 2019 Physician’s Week celebration held in Owerri on Sunday.

Irona, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Communications, Dr. Walter Duru, the Deputy Governor also called on stakeholders to continue to support the administration of Chief Emeka Ihedioha to move the state forward.

He further urged them to take steps to rid the medical profession of quacks.

Earlier in his speech, Imo State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Kyrian Duruewuru commended the Governor Emeka Ihedioha-led administration for his timely resolution of the industrial disagreement between resident Doctors in the state and the state Government, a challenge inherited from the last administration.

He pledged the commitment of the Association to continue to live up to expectations in the discharge of their duties.

Duruewuru also used the occasion to pour encomiums on the Deputy Governor on the leadership role he played in resolving the industrial dispute between resident Doctors and the state government, describing him as a good friend of the Association.

Other beneficiaries of the NMA Meritorious and Distinguished Medical Practitioners Award are: former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission-INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu, Dr. Barthy Okorochukwu, Emeh Chukwuemeka, Dr. Josephat Nnebo and Chief Richards Abarakwe.

The 2019 Physicians’ Week, with the theme “Care of the Unknown Patient: an Overview”, had “curbing the increasing trend of suicide in Nigeria: the role of NMA” and “the Doctor as an Entrepreneur” as sub themes.

High points of the event were presentation of the NMA Meritorious and Distinguished Medical Practitioners Award, special cultural presentations, among others.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lagos hosts first-ever Trauma confab - NaijaAgroNet

The first-ever trauma care conference in Nigeria holds in Lagos, Tuesday 19th of November 2019 with the theme "Trauma Care: The Way Forward" reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Director of the convening NGO, Trauma Care International Foundation (TCIF), Dr Deola Philips, said it has become imperative to begin to find ways to address the menace of trauma which has become a public health burden in Nigeria.

Dr Philips said the objective of the conference is to provide a platform for debate and stimulation of inter-disciplinary discussions in the fields of trauma care and emergency response management.

The conference, she said, would provide a platform for policy makers, senior government officials, the academia, media practitioners, corporate organizations, professional associations, scholars and volunteers from various health and trauma-related disciplines to come together and discuss how their various disciplines can collectively contribute towards the development of workable ways to address trauma as an emerging public health challenge in our society.

Also, she said the conference offers a platform for a formal introduction of TCIF to all key stakeholders in Trauma Management in Nigeria and a launch of the TCIF Trauma Stakeholders' Forum.

The main focus of discussion at the conference will include: the National Health Act and its provisions for Emergency Care; Improvements in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Systems; Delivering Advanced Trauma & Emergency Care in Low-Income Settings; Transforming Health Care in Nigeria through Trauma Network; Building Sustainable Trauma Care Systems in Nigeria and in West Africa; Securing Health Care Financing For Trauma And Emergency Services: National Basic Health Care Provision Fund; and Voluntary Blood Donation as a worthy cause.

She disclosed that the Special Guest of Honour is Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The conference has as its Keynote Speaker, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Chairman Senate Committee on Health under the Distinguished Chairmanship of Prince Julius Adewale Adelusi-Adeluyi, Chairman Juli PLC and former Health Minister.

On-site participation, she said, is strictly by invitation and urged potential participants to register online.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Friday, November 15, 2019

CS-SUNN decorates Lagos first lady as 'Nutrition Champion' - NaijaAgroNet

The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has decorated the Lagos First Lady and Wife of Executive Governor of the State, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu with recognition as the state’s ‘Nutrition Champion,’ reports NaijaAgroNet.

Leading the CS-SUNN’s delegate on the advocacy visit, the Executive Secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka said the recognition is evidenced on the Lagos First Lady’s firm commitment to the wellbeing of women and children, displayed in several capacities, even as a medical practitioner.

Eluaka urged Mrs. Sanwo-Olu to support the full implementation of the State Multi-sectoral Plan of Action for Nutrition (2019-2023) designed to reduce malnutrition.

According to her, the plan covers six core areas namely, “Food and Nutrition Security, Enhancing Caregiving Capacity, Enhancing the Provision of Quality Health Services, Improving Capacity to Address Food and Nutrition Insecurity, Raising Awareness and Understanding of the Problem of Malnutrition in Nigeria and Resource Allocation for Food and Nutrition Security at all levels.”

The CS-SUNN Executive Secretary tasked Mrs Sanwo-Olu to push for improved supply and demand for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition interventions/services in the state by facilitating the approval and funding of the Lagos State Multi-sectoral Plan of Action for Nutrition (2019 -2023) by the State Executive Council. She also urged the Lagos First Lady to contribute towards ensuring adequate budgetary allocation and timely release of funds for maternal nutrition and Infant & Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and interventions, at the state and local government levels.

In her response, the Lagos First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu commended CS-SUNN for making lots of progress in ensuring that the state government develops her state-specific plan and pledged her support for its funding and implementation. “There will be some cash-backings. I will tell the Governor about this plan to be approved as it will help the nutritional status of the people because the governor is concerned. There are also other people in the Council who are interested in the nutritional status of the people especially women even during pregnancy. They will also play a role,” she said.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Solar capacity soars @LAC

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, could grow their installed solar capacity by a factor of 40 by 2050, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows, reports NaijaAgroNet

Annual investments exceeding seven billion would see the region's solar PV capacity rise from 7 gigawatts (GW) today, to more than 280 GW by mid-century. While solar energy remains the highest in Asia, North America and Europe, market growth is set to shift to other regions in the world.

By that time, solar PV would represent the second-largest power source behind wind, generating a quarter of the world’s power, “Future of Solar Photovoltaic” launched today at “Sun World 2019” in Lima finds. In total, global solar power capacity would rise from 480 GW in 2018 to over 8000 GW by 2050, growing by nearly 9 per cent every year.

“Solar PV and other renewables sources represent the most effective and ready solution for addressing growing energy demand and limiting carbon emission at the same time,” said IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Renewables are practical, affordable and climate-safe. They are key to sustainable development, enabling energy access, spurring economic growth, creating employment and improving health. Particularly solar energy is set to become one of the most prominent power sources in 2050. Projected growth rates in markets like Latin America showcase that we can extend the energy transition to all countries. It’s possible.”

If accompanied by sound policies, the transformation driven by renewables such as solar can bring substantial socioeconomic benefits, IRENA’s new report finds. The global solar industry has the potential to employ over 18 million people by 2050, four times more than the 4.4 million jobs today.

Over the last decade, installed capacity of off-grid solar PV has grown more than tenfold, from roughly 0.25 GW in 2008 to almost 3 GW in 2018 around the world. With its modular and flexible nature, solar PV technology can be adapted to a wide range of off-grid applications and to local conditions. Indeed, off-grid solar PV is a key technology for achieving universal electricity access, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Similarly, the deployment of rooftop solar PV systems has increased extensively, which today makes solar PV in some markets more attractive than buying electricity from the grid. The competitiveness of distributed solar power is clearly raising deployment in large markets, including Brazil, China, Germany and Mexico.

Isaac, Oyimah/Editor

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Thursday, October 31, 2019

Ghana plans ban on rice importation by 2022 - NaijaAgroNet

The Republic of Ghana has set a three-year target for the country to put a stop to rice importation, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Kennedy Nyarko Osei.

Osei said Ghana was working round the clock to stop the importation of rice into the county based on recent projections.

The Deputy Minister revealed this in an interview with Kwame Tutu on “Anopa Nkomo” on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7.

Osei, whose position was published on the website of Kingdom FM 107.7, said: “We import billion dollars of rice into the country, but the Agric Ministry, led by Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, is determined that by the end of 2022 we will stop importing rice from other countries based on our projections.

“The two crops we are focusing on are rice and soya; soya because of the poultry industry and rice because of import substitution.”

It will be recalled that Ghana recently put pressure on Nigeria to open its borders for goods from other countries.

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria had ordered the closure of Nigeria’s borders to stem the importation of goods with local substitutes, especially rice.

Reports had it that the Republic of Benin, which does not consume parboiled rice, is the perhaps the largest importer of the rice type through its ports.

The border closure came after years of ban by the Central Bank of Nigeria of access to foreign exchange by importers of 43 prohibited products.

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, retired Colonel Hameed Ali, said within one week of the closure of Nigeria’s borders, over 500,000 bags of locally manufactured rice that had been lying in warehouses of the producers were sold.

According to available information, rice constitutes 82 per cent Ghana’s import, accounting for $1 billion.

The amount was at almost 2 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product, according to Ghana’s Deputy Trades Minister, Robert Ahomka Lindsay.

Osei told Kingdom FM 107.7 further: “Changing the structure of our economy through diversification and value addition will not happen overnight.

“It remains a major pre-occupation of the government because it is our pathway to reduce dependency, expand the economy, create jobs, increase exports, reduce imports and support the value of our currency.”

It would be recalled that Afriyie-Akoto had told the West African nation of plans to cut food importation through a flagship programme: Planting for Food and Jobs.

The programme is expected to provide farmers fertilizers at low rates to help boost local yield.

The subsidised rate, which is 50 per cent, is catered for by the Government as an incentive to smallholder farmers.

So far, farmers who used to produce three bags of rice per acre in the past, now produce 10 bags.

The ripple effect has led to the creation of more jobs as the need for hired hands in the harvesting and processing of farm produce has spiked.

Jobs created as at 2017 stood at 745,000, which is now improving to 900,000, according to the Minister of Agriculture.

In addition to this, a spinoff of the programme, tagged: “Rearing for food and jobs,” is set to begin.

Isaac John/Editor


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Monday, October 28, 2019

Oil landlords not criminals in Imo says Irona - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:
Imo State Government has said that oil landlords are not criminals as have been wrongly allude in some quarters, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona who gave this clarification said, people of the two Oil Producing Local Government Areas of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta in the state are not criminals.

The Deputy Governor made the clarification in a welcome address he delivered during the first Security Summit of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas, held at Oguta Civic Center, Oguta, weekend.

He blamed the impression of criminality about people of the area on the activities of a few, whom he accused of giving people of the area a bad name.

Engr. Irona described the summit as aimed at addressing security challenges in the two oil producing Local Government areas of the state.

“This summit is aimed at addressing security challenges in the two oil producing Local Government Areas of Imo State. It is expected that the meeting will identify the causes of insecurity in the area and proffer possible solutions. Today, we shall agree on how best to protect our people.”

“The present Government of Imo State identified some flashpoints. Principal among the flashpoints are Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas. Co-incidentally, that is where we have the oil facilities and installations in Imo State.”

“Stakeholders therefore appealed to His Excellency, the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to approve the re-jigging of the security architecture of the area. His Excellency graciously approved this summit, with a view to creating a forum for the discussion of the worrying security issues in the area and this is why we are here today. Efforts are being made to ensure a sustainable offensive against every form of criminality in the state. This Summit is one of such efforts.”

“Again, the provision /donation of vehicles to Law Enforcement Agencies by ISOPADEC to aid their operations is part of the ongoing efforts towards strengthening the security of the area.”

“The truth is that we are not criminals. A few bad eggs are making our area notorious. We shall not allow them to tarnish our collective image. No one shall make us live in fear in our ancestral homes. No one will frighten and threaten us at will again. That era is gone.”

Continuing, the Deputy Governor identified forms of criminal activities in the area to include cultism, kidnapping, oil bunkering, banditry, rape, armed robbery and proliferation of arms.

He expressed appreciation to the Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha for what he described as his show of love for people of the area, describing him as a promise-keeper.

Meanwhile, as part of its support to the security of lives and property, the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission -ISOPADEC weekend, donated Six Hilux branded vehicles to Law Enforcement Agencies in the state.

Commissioning the vehicles during the first Security Summit of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta, Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha reiterated the commitment of his administration to the security of lives and property in the state.

He commended the ISOPADEC management for what he described as their people-oriented programmes, urging them to do more to better the lives of the people.

Highlights of the Summit were: paper presentations by the Service Chiefs in the state, including the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, Brigade Commander, 34 Field Artillary Brigade, Obinze, Brigadier General Ibrahim Yusuf, Imo State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Raji Ibrahim, Director, State Security Services, Iquo Arthur-Worrey and Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nse Inam.

Earlier in their remarks, Chairman of the occasion, General Kalu Egwuagu and Special Adviser on Security to the Governor of Imo State, Raymond Nkemdirim described security as essential to development, even as they urged law enforcement personnel deployed to the area to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

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Sunday, October 27, 2019

Nigeria’s solid minerals can kick-start boom in mining industry - NaijaAgroNet

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, has declared that Nigeria has sufficient mineral resources to kick-start a boom in the mining industry, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Making this disclosure at the weekend during the opening ceremony of the recently held Fourth Edition of the Nigeria Mining Week in Oyo, Adegbite said also that this is achievable with the right investments and the right atmosphere.

“The documented stock of minerals that could be found in Nigeria is sufficient to kick-start a boom in the mining industry in Nigeria, with the right investments and the right atmosphere,” he said.

To address this, he said the Federal Government intends to partner with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the industry to deepen the reforms to foster a conducive ecosystem for private sector investment.

The event, which brought together key players, policy makers and investors in the mining industry as well as finance experts from about 20 countries and the governors of Kebbi and Nasarawa States. 


Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Friday, October 25, 2019

We all have mouths! Relationship between breast cancer and oral hygiene - NaijaAgroNet

Commentary@NaijaAgroNet: 
Comedy is now a multi-billion naira industry in Nigeria. A new couple could pay a comedian one million naira to perform at their wedding, but argue furiously against paying a surgeon one hundred thousand naira to perform a caesarian section to save two lives. Comedy is also the cheapest possible start-up, because the mouth is the sole physical investment of the trade. Thus a popular comedian rejoices in the name of Basket mouth. Another is called Elenu, meaning ‘mouth owner’ in the Yoruba / Anago language. But although we are not all comedians, we are all elenus – we all have mouths and our mouths are far more important for our overall health than we may realize.

October is dedicated to advocacy and creating awareness on Breast Cancer, the most common cancer in women globally (including Nigeria). Breast cancer also occurs in men, but it is 100 times more common in women. However, because most people are not aware that breast cancer can occur in men, the disease tends to be picked up much later and is often more fatal in men than in women.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), over 18 million people develop cancer yearly with 9.6 million deaths. Unfortunately, 70% of cancer deaths occur in developing countries like Nigeria, due to late detection. Latest WHO data shows that globally, there were over 2 million new cases of breast cancer and over 600,000 deaths from the disease in 2018. Every day, Nigeria records 32 deaths from breast cancer.

As we mark the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is necessary to look at an aspect of the disease of which most people are unaware – the relationship between breast cancer and oral hygiene.

The better known risk factors for breast cancer include: female gender, increasing age, family history of breast cancer, early onset of menses, late menopause, ethnicity and alcohol/tobacco use.

However, scientific research has recently demonstrated a link between breast cancer and oral health. Women with poor oral hygiene and periodontitis (inflammation of the gum), are up to three times more likely to develop breast cancer. The risk is greater in smokers.

Poor dental hygiene and gum disease has also been linked to increased risk of other cancers (including prostate cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer, gallbladder cancer, melanoma and pancreatic cancer) and of several general health conditions (such as pneumonia, stroke, heart disease, problem pregnancy and Diabetes mellitus).

The prevention and early diagnosis of periodontitis are therefore, very important not only for the patients' oral health, but also for their overall wellbeing.

Periodontitis is a serious bacterial infection of the gum that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports the teeth. In the early stages, it often presents as bleeding or swollen or painful gums (gingivitis) and sometimes as halitosis (bad breath). The main causes of periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene and tobacco use. The bacteria most often associated with periodontitis (Treponema denticola and Porphyromonas gingivalis) enter the bloodstream through the gum. Later, the bacterial infections become associated with co-infection by viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus. These viruses act together with the bacteria to suppress the body’s immune response, leading to a proliferation of cancer cells in the body.

Fortunately, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of periodontitis which may predispose to cancer. The best way to achieve this is by following the 2-2-2-2-2-2-2 rule of dental hygiene, including:

1. Brush your teeth 2 times a day – last thing at night and at least one other time during the day

2. Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes each time

3. Use 2 tools for personal oral hygiene – a fluoride-containing toothpaste and medium textured tooth brush

4. Each time you brush clean between the teeth with dental floss or an interdental brush, which ensures that bacteria is removed from all areas of the mouth.

5. Go for a dental checkup at least 2 times a year

6. During your dental checkup, have your teeth professionally cleaned (scaling and polishing or S & P)

7. Your child should start brushing his own teeth and visiting the dentist from the age of 2

Observing the following Donts of Dental Care would further enhance your oral health:

  • Don’t use a hard toothbrush – use a medium texture toothbrush for adults and a soft texture toothbrush for children
  • Don’t use toothpick – use dental floss instead
  • Don’t open bottles with your teeth
  • Don’t wait until you have dental problems before you visit your dentist. Visit your dentist every six month for a dental check-up and S&P. Also, consult your dentist if you have toothache, bad breathe, cracked teeth, holes in your teeth and between gums and teeth, or if you notice any strange thing in your mouth.
In addition to predisposing you to other cancers (such as breast cancer), poor oral hygiene also predisposes to cancers that occur primarily in the mouth and throat, with tobacco, alcohol and Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections being among the leading risk factors of oral cancer. Human Papilloma virus also causes cancer in more than twelve parts of the body, including the cervix (cervical cancer).

Moreover, there are over 120 medical conditions, which can be detected in the early stage by dentists. Therefore, the dentist can be the first line of defense against gum disease and other systemic diseases including cancer.

It is for this reason that mass medical mission, a foremost champion for preventive health care and national cancer control, now has dental aspect of its free outreaches. This involves the use of the Mobile Dental Centre (nicknamed the PinkDentist), to facilitate access to preventive dental services for all.

Other life-saving initiatives of mass medical mission include:

· Mission PinkCruise (free community-based health outreaches with the PinkCruise)

· Mission PinkVISION (the eye aspect of the free community outreach using Mobile Ophthalmic unit aka PinkVISION), where “VISION” stands for Voluntary Integrated Sight Saving Initiative Of Nigeria)

· Free screening at the Lagos centre every Wednesday (Wellness Wednesday) and Friday (Family Friday)

· Vaccine Fair to promote access to the quadrivalent vaccine which can prevent the various cancers caused by HPV (this Fair holds every last Friday and Saturday of the month at the Lagos centre).

To mark the October International Cancer Awareness Month and World Sight Day, members of the general public are invited to the ongoing free cancer, eye and dental screening taking place every Wednesday and Friday at mass medical mission House, 31 Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos.

Groups could also apply to be included as hosts in the 2020 schedule of the free community-based outreaches (Mission PinkCruise), by sending an email to info@pinkcruise.org.

Dr Abia Nzelu, info@pinkcruise.org

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