The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dr. Amina Sani Bello

  • ‘Let’s fight cancer with accurate info’

    The wife of the Niger State governor, Dr. Amina Sani-Bello has stated that dearth of information on cancer has led to so many myths and misinformation about the disease, saying that increased awareness is the only way to correct the wrong information on the disease.

    According to her, inaccurate information on cancer has greatly hindered a lot of people from accessing the necessary care they urgently need.

    Bello, who stated this in a press conference to commemorate the World Cancer Day in Minna, said that increased awareness, accurate information and knowledge will help the people recognise early signs of cancer.

    “We believe increased awareness, accurate information and knowledge can help us recognise early warning signs, make informed choices about our health, misconceptions and fears about cancer.”

    She lamented that most of the cases her Foundation, Raise Foundation gets are when the patients are in the advanced stage that nothing can be done to offer them succour.

    “Our experience dealing with cancer patients has shown that majority had no idea what cancer was prior to their diagnosis. Majority of cases are diagnosed at the late stages of the disease when the chances of cure are unlikely. This leads to many deaths that could have been prevented.

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    “At least, one-third of cancer cases are preventable and the other two-third has better outcomes with early detection. Awareness and prevention go hand in hand as the former encourages prevention.”

    Bello further disclosed that in the past two years, Raise Foundation has screened 2,918 people for breast cancer and 2,764 people for cervical cancer adding that out of this number, 41 people were operated upon for breast cancer while 10 were diagnosed for cervical cancer.

    She said that out of the 41 breast cancer patients operated upon, five were discovered to be cancerous while out of the 10 cervical cancer cases, seven turned out to be full blown cancer cases.

    “Out of the five breast cancer patients, we lost tweaking the way while three others are still receiving treatment. It is sad because 90 per cent of the women who come to us with breast cancer are already at the advanced stage.”

    The governor’s Wife then urged the media to join in the fight against cancer by raising awareness which will go a long way in reducing the myths and misinformation surrounding the disease.

  • 75% Women deliver at home in Niger – Gov’s Wife

    75% Women deliver at home in Niger – Gov’s Wife

    The Wife of the Niger state Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has expressed dismay that only 25 per cent of the women in the state deliver their babies in the hospital.

    According to her, this has lead to high mortality among the women and newborns in the state.

    The Governor’s Wife bared her mind regarding the issue during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Niger state Governor, Raise Foundation and Roche Pharmaceuticals on cancer care in Minna, Niger state.

    She said that 153 infants out of 1000 die everyday in the state because most of the deliveries are handled by unskilled health attendants.

    “if 75 per cent of women are having deliveries at home without skilled attendants, one can only imagine the number of women who are dying in the state. ”

    Bello, who is the Founder of Raise Foundation, advocated that all hands should be on deck in reducing women and children mortality in the state, “I am advocating that state government, religious leaders and everyone should put hands together to improve the indices in the state. The women should be encouraged to go to the hospitals to have their babies. ”

    The MoU which is worth N400 billion is meant to proffer an end to end solution to cancer care in the state.

    The MOU targets one million cancer patients in five years out of which 20 diagnosed cases will be treated annually.

  • Why I still perform surgical operations – Niger Gov’s wife

    Why I still perform surgical operations – Niger Gov’s wife

    The wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has explained that she continues to perform surgical operations despite being a governor’s wife.

    According to her, she does this because she does not want to forget the rudiments of her profession.

    Apparently replying to some queries on why she still goes to the hospital for surgical operations, Bello said as a trained gynaecologist, if she focuses only on the activities of being the Governor’s wife, she will no longer be able to practice her profession after four years.

    Speaking at the flag-off of the skills training and empowerment of 250 unemployed girls and women in Minna recently, she said that she derives joy from going to the theatre.

    “The reason why I still go to the hospital is because I do not want to forget my profession. I can be a Governor’s wife and do nothing apart from my projects but after four years, I will forget my profession.

    “So I cannot become the wife of the governor for four years without practising my profession, if I do so, after four years, I will no longer be able to perform surgical operation. I’ll have to go back and learn how to do it all over again,” she said.

    Bello said government’s focus on the issue of women development was to improve the economic growth of the state.

    She then expressed optimism that the training will have a ripple effect on the socio-economic development of the state urging the participants to embrace the skills training and justify the confidence the government have in them.

    The Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Roseline Abara said that Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is not sleeping in his bid to ensure that he improves the lives of people in the state.

    The Commissioner said that the governor is so concerned about the poverty rate of the people that he continuously works out plans to reduce their poverty rate.

    “The Governor is not sleeping. He is improving the lives of the people to make them less dependent by empowering them. He is determined to create opportunities that women in the state are self employed and no longer go begging for food.

    She called on the participants who were drawn from the 25 local government areas of the state to pay attention to their training so that they can use it to improve their families and the society.

    The 250 young girls and women will be trained in the three senatorial zones of the state on cosmetic production, perfume production, fish and poultry farming, rice farming and processing, tailoring, catering amongst others.

  • Niger governor’s wife to fight maternal mortality

    Niger governor’s wife to fight maternal mortality

    The Wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has vowed to employ all measures in fighting maternal mortality in the state.

    Bello who lamented that the state has the highest mortality in the North-Central stated that her Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), RAISE Foundation is working at reducing this scourge that have claimed the lives of many women and children.

    She pledged to ensure free medication and treatment for pregnant women and children in the state stating that this will complement government’s effort in stamping out maternal mortality.

    The Governor’s Wife said that she will not stop at ensuring that the women are cared for health wise alone but would work towards empowering them to improve their economic activity and reposition them in the society.

    Sani-Bello stated this while disbursing cheques worth N12 million to 60 women Cooperative Societies from 18 local government areas of the state in Minna.

    She expressed optimism that the other local government areas in the state will benefit from the next round of the programme.

    The Governor’s Wife then urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money given to them and not use it for other trivial things.

    60 women cooperatives comprising of 15 to 30 people each benefited from the N12 million grant given to them by the Governor’s Wife.