From right: The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Executive Director, Finance & Administration, NIMASA, Mr. Bashir Jamoh, Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA,  Rotimi Fashakin, and Okey Ajero during a novelty football match organized by the Agency to commence an awareness campaign against Prostate Cancer at the Astro Turf pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos during the Celebration of the World Cancer Day recently.

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has urged Nigerian men to ensure frequent screening for Prostate Cancer, stressing that early detection is key in tackling fatalities from this ailment..

The Director General made this known shortly after a novelty football match organised by the agency to flag off an awareness campaign against Prostate Cancer at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, as part of activities marking the celebration of the World Cancer Day recently.

The NIMASA DG noted that the agency has decided to key into the persistent goal of modern medicine to defeat the fear of seeing cancer as death sentence and encourage male staff and Nigerian men in general to take the advice of early detection seriously considering the fact that prostate cancer could be a silent killer in men.

“The aim of this exercise is to arm ourselves with the weapon to guarantee us a better chance of fighting cancer.  He further said that, It is for this reason that on the occasion of the World Cancer Day, the management of the agency had approved the collaboration of our Health Services unit to partner with Clinics, Laboratories to screen interested staff for prostate cancer to protect us from such fatalities through early detection and therefore the hope that all staff will use this opportunity to examine their status” Peterside said.

While noting that the agency’s health advocacy is part of NIMASA corporate social responsibility actions, Peterside announced free examination for prostate cancer for volunteers who are willing to be screened even if they aren’t at risk. The agency also offered to give out referral papers to interested volunteers.

“Our mission is to ensure NIMASA staff and Nigerians in general are aware that with adequate education and early detection, this generation can conquer prostate cancer. NIMASA is on a mission to make sure it reduces the fight of menace of prostate cancer to finish with early detection,” He also said.

It was gathered that the agency has commenced free test for all members of staff and interested stakeholders as part of efforts to encourage early detection.

The NIMASA campaign against prostate cancer is in line with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the world Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.

Recall that the primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.

As part of activities to mark the event, the agency organised a novelty march at the Astro Turf pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. At the event, The DG and other members of the executive management and staff of the agency graced the occasion, tagged; “Kick against prostate cancer”.