Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi (2nd left); Younger sister of the late deputy governor of the state, Mrs. Modupe Rowaye; Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Chief Ronke Okusanya, and others during a cancer awareness rally and distribution of breast self examination kit organised by the state in memory of the late Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka in Ado-Ekiti..
Ekiti State Government distributed thousands of breast self examination kits for cancer screening as part of activities organized in memory of the late Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka.
The events took place at the headquarters of the three senatorial districts of the state: Ido-Ekiti (Ekiti North); Ikere-Ekiti (Ekiti South); and Ado-Ekiti (Ekiti Central), on Monday and Tuesday.
The Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, mobilised thousands of women for the two-day rally, which was joined by the Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; and other top officials of the state, as well as husband of the late deputy governor, Mr. Lanre Olayinka; her daughter, Yeside; and family members of the deceased.
At each stop, the Project Manager of the Funmi Olayinka Diagnostic and Wellness Centre, Dr. Bola Solanke, took the gathering through practical steps in breast self examination using the distributed kits.
Tuesday’s event witnessed health screening for cancer, HIV/AIDS, malaria, sugar level, blood pressure, body weight and other essential health screening.
It was rounded off with cancer awareness walk from the Funmi Olayinka Diagnostic and Wellness Centre to Fajuyi Memorial Park, led by the governor’s wife.
Health officials from Chike Okoli Foundation, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Ekiti State AIDS Control Agency and Ekiti Development Foundation conducted screening and distribution of free drugs during the Ado-Ekiti event.
Addressing participants before the commencement of the walk, the Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said that the event was organized in remembrance of his late deputy.
He appealed to women to make regular check-up and screening for cancer and gender-specific ailments a habit to stem the tide of cancer and other diseases ravaging the population.
The governor said, “One of the pledges we made after her demise was never again should we lose women to any form of cancer particularly, cervical and breast cancer.
“I want to urge all the women to voluntarily use the facility at the diagnostic centre and make use of the advice they receive from the specialists who are handling the various equipment that we put there for use.
“We know that cancer is still a major scourge in our country and we know that we lose so many people to the scourge. We want to do everything within our own ability to stop this from happening and one of the basic ways of stopping it is through regular checkups that can detect early if anything has gone amiss.”
He urged women not to rely on traditional or spiritual means to cure cancer, but to go for medical examination and treatment immediately at standard health facility after detection.
The governor said, “I want to urge our women to see this beyond our approach to tradition and spirituality. It is okay to be spiritual. It is okay to believe in God, but there are several places in the Bible where the word physician comes up.
“Physician is not a term of abuse in the Bible, it is a term of endearment; it is a term of respect. I urge us to, in addition to praying, to also work to save ourselves. The Bible and the Quran urge upon us to always work and pray.”
Speaking at the rallies, the First Lady expressed the resolve of government to establish cancer screening centres in the three senatorial zones of the state for early detection of the scourge.
She said the best thing the women of the state could do in remembrance of the late deputy governor was to troop out and vote for her husband during the June 21 governorship election given his giant strides during his first term.
With superior numerical strength on the state’s voters list and the All Progressives Party’s membership, she urged the women to queue behind her husband during the polls.
She advised women to be mindful of their diet and to desist from consuming too much of carbohydrates and oil, but to consume more of vegetables and foods rich in proteins.
Last modified: April 8, 2014