It almost seems like an epidemic for Nigerian men over 60. Not talking makes them lose the benefit of early detection.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Labour Party chieftain and Professor of Economics, Pat Utomi, has lamented the low awareness of the public on prostrate cancer in Nigeria, saying it has silently claimed the lives of many men.
In a series of tweets made on his X page on Friday, Utomi revealed that he was diagnosed of cancer in 2022 after a biopsy, and has been receiving treatment in Lagos.
A biopsy is a medical procedure used to detect cancer in the body.
He added to underscore the need for more information on the disease, that sharing his diagnosis of cancer with others led to many people of his age bracket revealing that there were also battling the same ailment.
Prof. Utomi said he was undergoing treatment during the presidential campaigns in the rundown to the 2023 presidential elections where he supported Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate.
“Did not see why it was taboo to say you were in a battle with Cancer. The more I talked about it the more I found many of my age in similar circumstances,” he wrote, adding, ”It almost seems like an epidemic for Nigerian men over 60. Not talking makes them lose the benefit of early detection.
“Once elections were over, my young nephews and cousins, Doctors in Europe and the US joined forces with the Lakeshore people and decided they wanted me in their direct care.
“That’s how it seemed. I went quiet cause they controlled my phones to reduce stress.”