Kick Out Prostate Cancer, UBA Foundation Campaigns

In the early hours of Saturday, March 14, 2015, streets around the National Stadium, Surulere, in Lagos witnessed a unique  non-political campaign in this season of politics. 

 

 Staff and members of public march on the street of Lagos
during the Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign, an initiative of UBA Foundation,
held in Lagos at the weekend. 

 

It was the annual prostate cancer awareness campaign organised by UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of pan-African United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. 
 
The annual event is
meant to raise awareness on prostate cancer, which is a curable disease when
detected early. UBA Foundation has taken up the mission to raise awareness on
prostate cancer to help prevent the avoidable deaths that arise from the
disease.
 
The Prostate cancer
awareness day, which took place on Saturday, March 14, 2014, leverages on a mix
of sporting activities to raise awareness on the disease. The events, which
include jogging, aerobic exercises and soccer, took place in Nigeria and in 18
other African countries where UBA has subsidiaries.
 
In Nigeria, the UBA
Foundation also sponsored free prostate cancer screening at the National
Stadium Surulere in Lagos, on Saturday, March 14, 2014.  There was also simultaneous screening at the
Millennium Park, Maitama Abuja and UBA Mothercat Business Office, 94 Trans
Amadi Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.  
Members of the public undergoing prostate cancer screening during the
Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign, an initiative of UBA Foundation, held in
Lagos at the weekend.
 
The prostate cancer
screening, which is free for all men above 35, started on Saturday, will go on
in all three centres in Nigeria until Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The screening
exercise is open to all Nigerian men above the age of 35 and not restricted to
UBA customers only.
 
Since Saturday when
the screening started 923 men have been screened in all the three centres in
Nigeria comprising of 433 men in Lagos, 294 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and
196 men in Abuja.
 
Ijeoma Aso,
Managing Director/CEO of UBA Foundation said this is the fifth year that the
Foundation has promoted free prostate cancer awareness campaign across Africa.
 
“We have been
impressed with the turnout in the past editions and this year has also been
impressive. We are happy that more men are getting screened and knowing their
status. The result of the screening is confidential. It is made available to
only the person screened. It is usually sent as text message to the phone
number of the man screened. So, it is strictly confidential between the person
screened and the diagnostic firm. As a Foundation, we are not interested in the
result” Ms Aso explained.
 
l-r: Charles Aigbe, Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate
Relations; Emeke Iweriebor, Deputy CEO, UBA Africa; Ijeoma Aso, Managing
Director, UBA Foundation; Johnson Agoreyo, SBG Head, Lagos Island, Central
& Upper West ; and Dan Okeke, Executive Director, Abuja and East Bank,
during the Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign, an initiative of UBA Foundation,
held in Lagos at the weekend
 
She also explained
that the number of days for screening for this year has been extended to ensure
more men above 35 take advantage of it to get a free screening, urging all men
within the age bracket to take advantage of the exercise and get screened.
 
“The risk of prostate
cancer increases with age, so early screening helps reduce the risk of dying.
Prostate cancer is easily curable when detected early” she said.
 
UBA Group is
committed to the principles and best practices of corporate social
responsibility and prides itself as being a model corporate citizen in every
country in which it has its footprints. 
 
UBA Group pursues
its corporate social responsibility goals through UBA Foundation. UBA
Foundation plays this role by contributing actively to following strategic
areas that are of immense importance to community development, namely:
Education, Environment, and Economic Empowerment. The annual prostate cancer
awareness programme is part of UBA Foundation’s community intervention schemes.

 

4 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here