Nigerians Hails Sununu , Ihonvbere , OCI Foundation Over Bill On Mandatory Teaching Of Breast And Cervical Cancer School Curriculum 

Nigerians Hails Sununu , Ihonvbere , OCI Foundation Over Bill On Mandatory Teaching Of Breast And Cervical Cancer School Curriculum

NIGERIANS HAIL SUNUNU, IHONVBERE, OCI FOUNDATION, OVER BILL ON MANDATORY TEACHING OF BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCERS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA AS BILL PASSES SECOND READING.

~Bill referred to relevant Committee for further Legislative Action.

Stakeholders and major players in the Education sector have commended the Member Representing Owan Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Rep. Prof. Julius O. Ihonvbere OON and Hon. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, Chairman House Committee on Health, over the initiative to introduce the Bill seeking Mandatory Inclusion of preventive teachings on Breast and Cervical Cancers into Senior Secondary Schools Curriculum in Nigeria.

The Bill, which is part of the “Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Health Campaign” being promoted by an international NGO, the OCI Foundation, has been described as apt, timely and well thought-out. It passed second reading at the Floor of the HOUSE today, and has been referred to the relevant Committee for further Legislative action after getting a resounding support of majority of the Lawmakers.

Briefing Press at FCT – Abuja, Prof. Ihonvbere who spoke through his Legislative Aide on Media and Publicity, Mr. Iriekpen Bright Omogbai, stated that, one of the greatest challenge we have as a nation, is that we focus on the curative when we lack the needed resources and facilities to cure ourselves. He noted that the bill presented, were geared towards creating a systematic and sustainable awareness in preventive measures against breast & Cervical Cancers especially among Senior Secondary School Students in Nigeria.

Prof. Ihonvbere noted that, the aims and objectives of the bill seeking to introduce the Mandatory Inclusion of Teaching of Breast and Cervical Cancers into Senior Secondary Schools Curriculum in Nigeria, is clear, specific, achievable, measurable and realistic.

The Lawmaker further noted that, some of the measurable indicators the Breast and Cervical Cancer Bills seeks to achieve include; the introduction of anti-breast and anti-Cervical cancer teachings into the Academic curricula of all Nigerian Senior Secondary Schools Curriculum, as a novel, wide – reaching, cost effective and sustainable way of tackling the rising cases in the society; increase the proportion of all high school students with knowledge of early symptoms as well as increase the proportion of female students that correctly practice monthly breast self examinations as it relates to breast and Cervical Cancers”.

“The bill, will also focus on enhancing capacity and strengthen relationships in building a sustainable approach to breast and Cervical Cancers prevention and responses”, the lawmaker mentioned.

The ideas behind the Bill was conceived and promoted by the Australian-based Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora (OCI) Foundation and its partners, including the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), the First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), and the Future Assured Foundation, the official NGO of the Nigerian First Lady, Dr Aisha Buhari. Other OCI Foundation’s partners involved in the Bill are the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the Sweet Home Africa Humanitarian Foundation (SHAHF), and the Amity Global Network/AlexReports.

Prof. Ihonvbere further maintained that he is very concerned at this Bill becoming LAW as he reassured Nigerians of bringing legislation to their door-steps. He is also sponsoring another similar Bill on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as a sustainable approach to addressing the menace, and this will come up for second reading, soon.