The National Youth Service Corps and the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora Foundation International have intensified efforts to expand breast and cervical cancer awareness across the country, with plans to extend the Arm Our Youths Anti-Cancer Health Campaign to all 37 NYSC orientation camps.
The foundation made the call during the retraining of NYSC officers and state campaign coordinators in Abuja, where it urged the scheme’s leadership to support the nationwide expansion of the initiative.
Speaking at the event, the President of the OCI Foundation, Associate Professor Chris Ifediora, said the campaign was established to equip young Nigerians with knowledge on the prevention and early detection of breast and cervical cancers.
He said the initiative, which received the backing of the NYSC in 2021, has grown into one of the country’s largest youth-led preventive health programmes, with 26 editions already held across most orientation camps.
Represented by Lady Frances Nkem, Ifediora disclosed that the campaign now reaches more than 500,000 corps members annually through cancer awareness and health education programmes.
She added that the initiative had also expanded through community outreach, volunteer networks, social media campaigns and the CerviBreast mobile application.
Nkem urged NYSC officers and state campaign coordinators participating in the retraining to complete the foundation’s online certification programme within two weeks, noting that technology and innovation remain key to improving access to cancer prevention and healthcare.
She also appealed to the NYSC management to support the campaign’s expansion to all orientation camps and approve the establishment of the ArOY Health Campaign Community Development Service group to sustain awareness activities throughout the service year.
The foundation further announced plans to strengthen cervical cancer screening in orientation camps and launch the Basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Response Strategies programme to train young Nigerians in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency response.
Also speaking, the Director of Community Development Service and Special Projects at the NYSC, Chief Chiwendu Chukwu, described cancer as a major public health challenge and reaffirmed the scheme’s commitment to combating breast and cervical cancers through awareness, early detection and community education.
He said the initiative would equip corps members with life-saving knowledge to serve as advocates for cancer prevention in their host communities.
Chukwu urged NYSC Schedule Officers to ensure the effective implementation of the programme in their respective states and commended the OCI Foundation for its sustained commitment to improving public health through the partnership.
He expressed confidence that the collaboration would deepen cancer awareness, promote early detection and save more lives through sustained community engagement across the country.
