Health Experts at SSANU Conference Urge Women to Embrace a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle to Slash Cancer Risk.
Women have been strongly encouraged to adopt healthy diets and lifestyles as a key strategy for reducing the risk of cancer, particularly breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers.
Speaking on the topic “Women in Unionism: Catalysts for Cancer Risk Mitigation” at the recently concluded two-day Zonal Executive Council Meeting of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Women’s Conference held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, from 5th to 6th March, 2026, a health expert, Dr. Jane Ezeonu, lamented that cancer remains a major public health issue and a leading cause of death worldwide.
According to her, statistics show that one in five people is likely to develop cancer in their lifetime. She noted that many cancer cases are linked to avoidable lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diets, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, and lack of physical activity.
Dr. Ezeonu therefore encouraged women to adopt healthy eating habits by consuming foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins like fish or poultry. She explained that these foods contain antioxidants and essential nutrients that help protect body cells from damage and reduce inflammation linked to cancer.
She identified breast cancer as the most common cancer among women, while lung and prostate cancers are common among men. She further noted that late detection of cancer cases is prevalent due to poor recognition of early warning signs and limited access to screening services.
To improve early detection, she recommended regular self-examinations, including monthly breast self-examinations and clinical breast examinations. She also emphasized the importance of examining the underarm area, which is often overlooked. Mammograms, she added, are recommended for women aged 40 years and above.
Dr. Ezeonu further encouraged husbands to support their wives by helping them observe early signs of cancer, particularly through breast examinations.
She urged women in labour unions to leverage their platforms to advance cancer awareness through collective bargaining, workplace health initiatives, seminars, and workshops that promote healthy lifestyles.
According to her, women possess strong bargaining and advocacy skills that can be used to influence anti-cancer policies and preventive actions.
She also noted that breastfeeding has been shown to lower the risk of ovarian cancer.
In her contribution on the topic “The Role of Women in Trade Unions in Preventing Workplace Harassment and Mental Health Issues,” another health expert, Dr. Lucy Udedi, highlighted key roles women in trade unions must play in creating safer and healthier workplaces.
She identified several critical responsibilities, including:
Policy Advocacy and Reforms: Promoting anti-harassment policies and gender-sensitive labour laws.
Support Systems: Providing counseling services and legal assistance to victims.
Awareness Campaigns, Training, and Education: Organizing workshops on workers’ rights, sexual harassment prevention, and promoting a respectful workplace culture.
Establishment of Reporting Mechanisms: Creating confidential complaint channels, whistleblower protection systems, and proper investigation procedures.
Representation and Legal Support: Promoting gender equality in leadership positions within unions.
She emphasized that women in trade unions must take the lead in combating workplace harassment while protecting the mental health and well-being of workers.
*Call for Women to Prioritize Health*
Also speaking, the National Women Coordinator of SSANU, Comrade Ijeoma Basil Kalu, called on women to become instruments of positive reforms while also prioritizing their personal health.
She urged women not to allow the stress of work and union activities to overshadow the importance of taking care of their health.
The Branch Chairperson of SSANU, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Comrade Chukwudi Anthonia, encouraged women to come out of their shells and take charge of their destinies. She also urged men to be supportive and remain conscious of their wives’ health concerns.
*Call for Institutional and Government Support*
In his remarks, the National Vice-President of SSANU, South-East Zone, Engr. Okey Animba, called on university managements to create more platforms where health issues—especially those affecting women’s productivity and mental health—can be openly discussed.
He also urged men to pay closer attention to their wives’ health needs.
Engr. Animba further called on the Federal Government to honour agreements reached with university workers to sustain industrial peace and harmony within the university system.
According to him, the current economic realities have made workers’ take-home pay insufficient, stressing the need for faster progress in the ongoing negotiations between the government and SSANU.
*Vice-Chancellor Commends SSANU for Industrial Harmony*
Earlier, while declaring the meeting open, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, who was represented by the Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof. J. K. C. Emejulu, urged the leadership of SSANU to maintain strong collaboration with other university unions on matters affecting workers.
He emphasized that unity among unions is essential, noting that “united we stand, divided we fall.”
The Vice-Chancellor also assured participants that the university would not hesitate to implement agreements reached between university unions and the Federal Government. He commended SSANU UNIZIK for maintaining peace and industrial harmony on campus, stressing that dialogue and negotiation remain the best tools for resolving disputes.
The conference attracted national, zonal, and branch officers of SSANU, including women leaders and delegates from about thirteen universities across the South-East zone.