US-Based NGO Picks Ogunbanjo for Cervical Cancer-Free Nigeria Campaign

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A non-profit organisation based in the United States of America (USA) known as Global Oncology (GO) has appointed President of the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as one of its three global ambassadors for its Cervical Cancer-Free Nigeria (CCFN) campaign.

The two others appointed by the organisation for the campaign in Nigeria are Mr Lanre Tejuoso, the Chair of the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development; and Mrs Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, the First Lady of Kebbi State and founder and CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation.

Global Oncology was established to bring the best in cancer care and education to underserved communities worldwide.

It then created the CCFN campaign to eradicate virus-driven diseases such as cervical cancer by educating Nigerians about vaccine safety and efficacy.

With his appointment, Mr Ogunbanjo will use his position to raise awareness, leveraging exciting learning tools, such as a vaccine-focused comic book developed by Global Oncology, to expand on successful pilot outreach activities that have already reached thousands of Nigerian school children.

“I am proud to partner with Global Oncology in advancing the CCFN campaign. We have the potential and the moral imperative to eradicate cervical cancer in Nigeria.

“I believe we can achieve this ambitious goal by working together to raise awareness,” Mr Ogunbanjo said of his appointment.

This campaign is particularly timely considering that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in Nigeria with as many as three Nigerian women dying of the disease every day. These deaths are preventable with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, scheduled for introduction in Nigeria in 2021 pursuant to the Nigeria Strategy on Immunization and Primary Healthcare Systems Strengthening.

It is also noteworthy that the exchange continues to lend its voice to the fight against cancer through various initiatives.

In February 2020, NSE joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Cancer Day by hosting cancer change agents and survivors in a closing gong ceremony.