A medical practitioner Mrs Mojisola Fasikun, has said that about 1.3million people die annually across the globe due to lung cancer infection.
The Medical Expert, with University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin who stated this yesterday while speaking with journalist reiterated that the high rate of smoking related diseases as affecting those smoke and inhalation cigarettes of allied substances.
Fasikun also blamed the menace on indiscriminate use of firewood for cooking, which she identified as a predominant practice among the lower class of the society.
The staff of Hematology Department of University of IIorin Teaching Hospital stated these on Thursday at a seminar organized by Kwara State chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in conjunction with Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) and Civil Society for Cancer Eradication in Nigeria held at the Press Centre of the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ilorin, the state capital.
She said most of the victims of lung cancer inhaled smoke from the firewood cooking on account of ignorance of harm posed to their well being.
She explained that the safer way to cooking was to make use of natural gas, which could not cause emission unlike others, pointing out that people avoid use of gas on account of their inability to afford it.
The medical expert, however, appealed to the Federal Government to subsidize the cost of the product and rather make kerosene more expensive in order to discourage people from making use of firewood for cooking.
Mrs Fasikun also tasked the National Assembly to legislate against new trend of smoking among youths, saying they are at the risk of being infected by cancer if not curtailed.
“Lung cancer is a major problem in society today. Recent findings showed that the disease is responsible for 1.3million death worldwide annually. Those who cultivate smoking habit are susceptible to cancer of the lung; it gradually causes damages to bronchial and later it will turn black.
“Apart from those who smoke, those who also make use of firewood while cooking are vulnerable to lung cancer. This is because while doing their cooking, they inhale so much smoke, but they will not know they are causing serious damage to their health.
“It is not like people don’t know that it is safer to be using gas for their cooking but how many of us could afford it. The government should subsidize the cost of gas and make kerosene more expensive so that those using firewood would be discouraged from buying kerosene, which they used on firewood”, Mrs Fasikun said.
The medical doctor, who bemoaned the fate of firewood users, identified breathing problem, constant chest pain, weight loss, bone pain, coughing up blood and headache as some of the signs and symptoms derived from lung cancer.
She enjoined Nigerians to avoid smoking and second-hand smoke as well as carcinogens at work.
In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Special Duties, Mrs Felicia Faremi, noted that available reports showed that cancer remained a deadly and complex disease with high morality rate all over the world.
Mrs Faremi, who stated that lung cancer was primarily caused by tobacco smoking, called for adequate advocacy for people to steer clear of it.
“We must all, as a matter of urgency and consistency, ensure that the populace avoids all manners of smoking. It is harmful to the smoker and passerby in the household or community”, she said.
The Chairperson of the state chapter of NAWOJ, Mrs Binta Abubakar Mora, explained that cancer was a major problem, which has eaten deep into public health.
She urged the people to eat the right food to stave off the disease.
The seminar was attended by professional’s experts and associations among others
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