Oyo Health Ministry, Cancer Coalition Educate Female Students on Breast Cancer

 

By oluwaseyi fadoro 

…Experts stress early detection, regular breast examinations and prompt medical attention

The Oyo State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Oyo State Coalition Against Cancer, has organised a breast cancer awareness programme for female secondary school students in Ibadan as part of activities marking the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, popularly known as Pink October.

The programme, held on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Oba Akinbiyi Model College, Mokola, Ibadan, featured health lectures, interactive sessions and the administration of questionnaires to assess the students’ knowledge of breast cancer.

The initiative was designed to educate adolescent girls about breast cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, early detection and the importance of seeking prompt medical attention when unusual changes are noticed in the breasts.

Among those in attendance were representatives of the Oyo State Ministry of Health, the Oyo State Coalition Against Cancer, school administrators, teachers, students from selected secondary schools across Ibadan and members of the media.

The Ministry of Health delegation included the Honourable Commissioner’s representative, Dr Olanlege, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Alata General Hospital; the Director of Public Health Services, Dr Akintunde Babatunde, who represented the Permanent Secretary; the Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Beatrice Adeoye; and the Focal Person for the Non-Communicable Disease Desk, Mrs Christiana Adedeji.

Other participants included the Principal of Oba Akinbiyi Model College, Mrs A. M. Adebanji; Princess Seyi Oyewale of Amen Houston Hospital and Fertility Medical Centre; Nelson Ekujumi of the Oyenike Oyekan Foundation; Dr Foluke Sarimiye, Chairperson of the Nigeria Cancer Society, Oyo State Chapter; and Mr Promise Ihezie of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria.

Welcoming participants, the principal and chief host, Mrs Adebanji, expressed appreciation to the organisers for selecting her school to host the programme.

She described the initiative as an important opportunity to educate young girls about breast cancer at an early age, urging the students to become ambassadors in the campaign against the disease by sharing the knowledge acquired with their peers, families and communities.

In his opening remarks, Dr Babatunde, representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, commended the ministry's leadership and the coalition partners for working together to promote cancer awareness among young people.

He expressed the ministry's appreciation for the collaboration, describing the programme as a collective effort to confront a common enemy of humanity through education, awareness and preventive health practices.

Representatives of the coalition also delivered goodwill messages, highlighting the dangers of breast cancer and the need to intensify public awareness, particularly among adolescents and young women.

They urged the students to take the lessons learnt beyond the school environment by educating their families, friends and other members of their communities about breast cancer prevention and early detection.

Delivering a lecture on breast cancer, Mrs Adeoye educated the students on the disease, its symptoms, possible risk factors and the importance of self-breast examination.

She also demonstrated how to perform a self-breast examination, advising the participants to become familiar with their breasts and pay attention to unusual changes.

According to her, although not all breast lumps are cancerous, any lump in the breast or surrounding areas, including the armpit, as well as changes in breast colour or unexplained nipple discharge outside breastfeeding, should be promptly assessed by a healthcare professional.

She urged the students not to ignore suspicious symptoms or rely solely on self-examination, stressing the importance of visiting the nearest hospital for proper medical evaluation whenever abnormalities are noticed.

Also speaking, Dr Sarimiye, a Consultant Oncologist at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and Chairperson of the Nigeria Cancer Society, Oyo State Chapter, encouraged the students to practise the lessons learnt during the programme.

She emphasised that cancer should not be regarded as an automatic death sentence, noting that many patients had survived breast cancer and other forms of the disease through appropriate medical care.

Drawing from her decades of medical practice, she said she had witnessed numerous cancer survivors, reinforcing the importance of early diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment.

Dr Sarimiye further encouraged women and girls to adopt regular breast health checks and seek professional medical advice when necessary.

She also stated that Nigeria had medical equipment and facilities for cancer treatment, encouraging patients to seek appropriate care within the country where suitable services were available.

In her contribution, Princess Oyewale highlighted the benefits of breastfeeding in reducing the risk of breast cancer among women.

She advised the students to speak openly with trusted adults, including their mothers, aunties, female teachers and school counsellors, whenever they noticed unusual changes in their breasts or bodies.

The students subsequently completed questionnaires designed to assess their understanding of the presentations. During the question-and-answer session, they demonstrated their understanding of the issues discussed and engaged with the resource persons.

Speaking with journalists at the end of the programme, Mrs Adedeji, the Focal Person and Head of the Non-Communicable Disease Desk of the Oyo State Ministry of Health, expressed gratitude to the ministry and the coalition partners for making the event successful.

She described the initiative as impactful, particularly because it targeted young and adolescent girls, who would be able to share the information with others.

Adedeji also called for sustained collaboration between the Ministry of Health and non-governmental organisations to address other critical public health concerns across the state.

Some of the resource persons and students who spoke with journalists commended the organisers for prioritising breast cancer awareness among young girls, describing the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening the fight against the disease through education and early detection.