Titus Eleweke, Editor, South East
AWKA, Anambra – The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, will commence a one-week free cervical cancer screening (Pap smear), mammography for early breast cancer detection, and prostate cancer screening on Monday, July 27, 2026.
The free cervical cancer screening (Pap smear) and mammography programme will run until Friday, July 31, 2026.
The initiative is organized to commemorate the birthdays of the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, and his wife, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo, which fall on July 28 and July 31, 2026, respectively.
The free medical outreach is also intended to celebrate their leadership and commitment to promoting healthy living among the people of Anambra State through initiatives that encourage disease prevention and early detection.
Women aged 25 to 65 years will benefit from the free cervical cancer screening (Pap smear), while women 40 years and above will receive free mammography screening for the early detection of breast cancer.
In addition, 200 men aged 50 years and above will benefit from free prostate cancer screening.
The screening exercise will commence daily at 8:00 a.m.
Venue: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) and the Department of Radiography, COOUTH, Amaku, Awka.
The Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, said the free medical screening programme was designed to appreciate Governor Charles Soludo and his wife, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo, for their unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of Ndi Anambra.
According to her, the Governor’s wife, through her Healthy Living Initiative, has positively impacted the lives of thousands of residents across the state by promoting healthy lifestyles, preventive healthcare, and regular medical screening.
She added that Governor Soludo has consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment to strengthening the healthcare system and improving access to quality healthcare services for the people of Anambra State.
“We felt that since both the Governor and his wife have demonstrated remarkable commitment to improving the health and well-being of Ndi Anambra, it was only fitting to use the week of their birthdays—July 28 for the Governor and July 31 for Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo—to support and celebrate their vision of a healthier Anambra State.
“As part of our appreciation for their outstanding efforts in promoting preventive healthcare and healthy living, we decided to organize this free cancer screening programme for the people of the state,” she said.
Dr. Umeakuewulu emphasized that early detection remains one of the most effective strategies in the fight against cervical, breast, and prostate cancers, noting that when these cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, treatment is more effective, survival rates are significantly improved, and many lives can be saved.
She therefore urged eligible women and men across the state to take advantage of the free screening programme, stressing that routine cancer screening is an essential component of preventive healthcare and should not be neglected.
