The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, has urged for enhanced collaboration among stakeholders to fight the cancer epidemic. This call was made during the High-level Seminar on Promoting Cancer Awareness and Advocacy Programmes in OIC African Member States, held in Abuja.
The two-day seminar, which began on Wednesday, was organized by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in partnership with the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, and supported by various OIC institutions and international partners. The focus was on innovative strategies for cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment across OIC African Member States.
Leading the initiative, Mrs. Tinubu and other participating first ladies pledged to push for increased funding and robust measures to mitigate the impact of cancer, which affects hundreds of thousands of lives in Africa. In her opening remarks, Mrs. Tinubu praised the OIC for organizing the seminar and selecting Nigeria as the host country.
Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs/Science & Technology, represented the OIC Secretary General at the seminar. He affirmed the OIC’s commitment to supporting the fight against cancer, emphasizing the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge and traditional treatments.
Special guest Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, First Lady of Türkiye, lamented the loss of traditional healing practices due to modern consumption habits. She highlighted the historical significance of individualized medicinal practices in Asia, Anatolia, and Africa.
The seminar featured addresses from the first ladies of Türkiye, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, as well as officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of State for Health and Social Welfare, and the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.
At the conclusion of the seminar, the first ladies adopted the Abuja Declaration on Leadership in Cancer Control, which was read by Mrs. Tinubu and signed by all participating first ladies.
