The First Lady of Katsina State, Zulaihat Dikko Umaru Radda, has launched the One-Stop Katsina Cervical Cancer Screening Initiative, with 500 women expected to benefit from free screening and treatment for pre-cancerous cervical lesions.
Speaking at the launch in Katsina on Tuesday, Mrs Radda said the initiative was designed to improve early detection of cervical cancer while supporting research through international collaboration.
She described the programme as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to reduce deaths from cervical cancer, noting that the disease remains preventable through timely screening and treatment.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our collective effort to protect the lives and health of our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters from one of the most preventable forms of cancer – cervical cancer,” she said.
The First Lady commended Governor Dikko Umaru Radda for prioritising healthcare, saying his administration had created an enabling environment for partnerships aimed at improving the well-being of residents.
She also welcomed Professor Sophia Hilary George of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, describing her presence as a boost to efforts at expanding cancer research and women’s healthcare in the state.
According to Radda, the programme was made possible through a Summer Research Grant awarded to Dr Fatima Abubakar Rasheed, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, and a PhD candidate at the University of Miami under the mentorship of Professor George.