Imo State Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Flags-Off Cancer Survivors’ Golf Tournament

:Seeks Government Establishment of Cancer Treatment Centres.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Imo State Chapter, on Saturday, August 3, flagged off ‘2024 Cancer Survivors Golf Tournament’ in collaboration with the Walk With Us Cancer Foundation (WAWUC) and Arsenal Golf and Country Club, Owerri. The event with the theme: “Swing Out The Grab” attracted Imo State NMA members, golfers, cancer survivors and other stakeholders in cancer treatment value chain.

The annual tournament which held at the Arsenal Golf and Country Club, Obinze, Owerri West LGA, had various objectives which included: celebrating the survivors of the disease, spreading the awareness for early presentation and diagnoses, assuring the public that cancer is treatable, stressing the importance of sports to general wellbeing as well as advocating for the establishment of cancer treatment centres in government owned hospitals.

Addressing our reporter, the Imo State NMA Chairman, Dr. Echeta Bartholomew Uzodimma said: “We are here to celebrate cancer survivors in partnership with Arsenal Golf and Country Club and Walk With Us Cancer Foundation. It’s a big celebration that offers us the opportunity to raise public awareness that cancer is curable as evidenced by the survivors. So, we encourage members of the public to seek early medical attention because when cancer is discovered early and treatment is given, it would definitely be cured.”

Dr. Uzodimma, who explained that NMA works for the welfare of members and enhanced healthcare delivery in the country, urged both the federal and Imo State governments to establish cancer treatment centres to ameliorate the challenges of patients, saying: “As it is today, there is no government owned hospital that has cancer treatment centre in Imo State for early diagnoses and treatments. So, I encourage governments of the day to establish cancer treatment centres as a matter of urgency.”

On his own, the NMA Vice-Chairman, Dr. John Ohiri while corroborating the chairman, noted that the health sector was underfunded, including cancer treatment, calling on the government to close the gap. “Cancer is ravaging our people and we are having issues with diagnoses and treatments. So, government should provide first grade equipments and facilities to help combat the disease and help patients,” the Consultant Chemical Pathologist posited, while seeking succour for the patients.

Also contributing, the NMA Secretary General, Dr. Ibekwe Nnaemeka, averred that cancer was not a death sentence as many believed, but encouraged people to present early when they discover abnormalities in their bodies in order to treat it and ensure higher survival rates. According to him, the Cancer Survivors’ Golf Tournament was designed to inform the public that many have survived the disease, as he joined his colleagues in calling for government owned cancer treatment centres and for collaboration with them.

Also speaking, a member of WAWUC and an expert in cancer treatments, Dr. Okechukwu Duru, explained that some of the challenges of cancer disease include stigmatization of patients which consequently prevents people from making necessary timely presentation. He added that the Foundation was using the tournament among other means to lead the fight against cancer disease, including providing vital information on symptoms, diagnoses and treatments, as he solicited public support.

Similarly, the Captain of Arsenal Golf and Country Club, Commodore Ogechi Osuagwu (Rtd), said that the club as usual would continue to partner with NMA and WAWUC towards securing a cancer free society. Commodore Osuagwu, revealed that the tournament for cancer survivors would involve 18 holes course and 50 players, as he urged the public to leverage the opportunity to take care of their health needs.

Meanwhile, some of the cancer survivors who preferred anonymity while fielding questions from our reporter, expressed joy and gratitude to God for saving them. They narrated how they thought that the world had ended when they were diagnosed of cancer, but disclosed that adhering strictly to medical treatments got them fully cured. The cancer survivors while appreciating medical practitioners for their life-saving efforts, encouraged members of the public not to hide the disease, but to step forward for treatments, declaring cancer disease treatable.

The highpoint of the tournament was the tee-off performed by Dr. Uzodimma, Dr. Ohiri and Dr. Ibekwe, while Dr. Chukwu Obinna from Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Ebonyi and Mrs. Vivian Ndubueze from Global One World Healthcare (dealers on cancer treatment medications) were handy to contribute towards the exercise.

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