Despite efforts to raise awareness, a significant number of women often succumb to the disease, owing to late diagnosis. Based on this, Bounties Charity Initiative gathered renowned health professionals to enlighten hundreds of women on how to stay healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The Muslimah Health Forum (5.0), themed ‘Serenity Now: Finding Peace in a Chaotic World,’ featured a marketplace, ‘Health Souk,’ showcasing health initiatives and products.
The initiative’s convener, Hajia Hafsah Ameen-Kukoyi, emphasised the need to equip women with basic health information, as lack of knowledge is the major factor behind poor health. “We discovered that Muslim women are dying in ignorance because of inadequate health and religious knowledge and we collaborated and provided an avenue where Muslim women can access knowledge to thrive and grow physically, mentally and spiritually.”
Executive Director of the Hijab Rights Advocacy Group, Mutiat Orolu, called for increased awareness regarding the hereditary nature of certain cancers and the need for improved access to testing and treatment. She urged the government to enhance primary healthcare centres to facilitate screenings and promote collaboration between public and private sectors in cancer care.
The Guest Speaker, an oncologist at the General Hospital, Odon, Lagos State, Dr. Balikis Mabadeje-Isowo, called on government to subsidise cancer treatment and integrate it into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Dr. Mababdeje-Isowo, who proposed that government allocates one oil block to support cancer patients financially, noted that cancer treatment is not covered by the NHIS, although efforts are being made to include anti-cancer therapies. “Many of our patients are not doing well, and we must address the financial burden they face.”
Cancer survivor, Oyekemi Bawahala, shared her journey, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis and adherence to medical advice as October is recognised as cancer awareness month and serves as a reminder of the disease’s seriousness and the importance of early intervention.
Bawahala warned against misconceptions surrounding cancer treatment, noting that spiritual beliefs can sometimes lead individuals to forgo necessary medical care.BCI
The Local Organising Committee, LOC of the Bounties Charity Initiative, Hajiah Rabi Abdallah, expressed hope that merging diverse professional skills would lead to significant societal impact, explaining that more programmes like that need to be organised by the Muslim community to create more awareness and educate Muslim women on their health and well-being.
