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.