By Nsa David
Alumni of the Edgerley Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar on Tuesday sensitised young girls on health issues with tips on how to take care of their liver.
The group consisting of a consultant gastroenterologist, Dr. Mbang Ada and a consultant radiologist, Dr. Nchewi Ani stressed on the importance for people to take their health seriously.
“We hear people talk about the eye, tuberculosis, the kidney and HIV, but the liver that is a very vital organ is been downplayed,” Dr. Ada told CrossRiverWatch.
She said the essence of the campaign was to sensitise the young ones and create awareness for liver problems.
Ada who said that: “We cannot live without the liver. We have encourager the students to go back home and engage their parents in some health discussion,” added that: “If you have a liver problem the only way you can get a transplant is only when the donor is dead, while for other sickness you can cure it.”
Stressing on their decision to target the youths, Ada averred that: “We have targeted adolescents because we know the role of the youths; our young boys and young girls in influencing the Nigeria of tomorrow. By the time their curiosity has been triggered about the liver they will take it back home and ask these questions. So, they inadvertently spread the information about the sickness.”
The sensitisation forms part of activities marking the 120th anniversary of the institution.
And, another alumnus of the institution, Dr. Ani said the awareness campaign was their way of giving back to the school that made them who they are today.
“Right now we are encouraging the young people to know their liver status. If you catch the disease early enough it can be treated. But for liver cancer treatment itself is by transplant. You can’t get a donor except the persons dies. So it is better to prevent those things whose pathway will lead to cancer,” Ani said.
She advised the students to abstain from sex, boil water before use and engage in hand washing regularly which can prevent diseases.
Some of the students who spoke to CrossRiverWatch promised to put into practice, what they learnt from the medical team.
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