A week long programme celebration of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Rivers branch has started in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital with a theme tagged “the role of medical women in Women Health for sustainable Development.
The event which opened with sensitization and awareness lectures on cancer explained the causes, prevention and treatment assured the audience that cancer is no more a killer disease if only it could be discovered early.
Addressing journalists shortly after the opening ceremony, the President MWAN, Dr. Obelebra Adebiyi stated that the week will be used to enlighten people especially young girls on breast and cervical cancer ravaging the society.
Dr. Adebiyi said that the organization also care about prostrate cancer as it concerns men.
Asked whether they will be willing to take part in the treatment of Ebola cases outside the country, the president maintained that women are very critical in the treatment of Ebola cases in Nigeria and they will be willing if the need arises.
On political affiliation, Dr. Adebiyi stated that they are not politicians and they are non partisan but any member who wishes to join political party can do so.
The president of MWAN Rivers State chapter positied that their outreach programme has continued to educate the girls in primary and secondary schools on safe sex among others.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Prof. Celestine John said women are key to the development in Nigeria.
Prof. John stated that society can never be completed without women while urging them to go for data collection in their research for credibility and sustainability.
The professor of medicine tasked women to join politics to move the country forward.
Also speaking, Dr. Furo Green of the Braithwaith Memorail Hospital (BMH) and the chairman of Nigeria Medical Association, Rivers State (NMA) said they came to partner with the women in medical practices to move the state forward.
Dr. Green said the women are seeking for a better deal in health care and a better living condition hence, the support.
He collaborated with the president of (MWAN) on the issue of tackling Ebola while indicating interest to treat victims outside the country if there is need to do so. ###
