By Idris Umar, Zaria
The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, has trained 70 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) from 35 primary healthcare centres across Giwa, Sabon Gari and Zaria Local Government Areas of Kaduna State on prostate cancer awareness, early detection and referral.
The one-day training, held on Friday, August 28, 2026, was designed to strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers to identify men at risk of prostate cancer, recognise warning signs, promote early medical attention and facilitate timely referral of suspected cases to appropriate healthcare facilities.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the African Research Group for Oncology (ARGO) NCAT Scholars, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), and ONCOCLINICS.
The initiative is aimed at taking prostate cancer awareness and early detection closer to communities through primary healthcare facilities, where CHEWs play an important role in providing basic health information and connecting residents with appropriate medical services.
According to the organisers, participants are expected to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the training to educate members of their communities, encourage early hospital attendance, strengthen patient referral systems and contribute to efforts to prevent and control prostate cancer.
The training was facilitated by medical experts, including Dr. Musliu Tolani, Dr. Ismail H. Zubairu, Dr. Dalhat K. Sani, Dr. Aminu Bello Liman, Abdulkareem Kabir and Dr. Shehu Salihu Umar.
At the end of the programme, certificates of completion were presented to the participants.
Speaking on the importance of the training, the organisers emphasised the need for increased public awareness of prostate cancer, particularly among men who may be at higher risk as they grow older.
They noted that symptoms such as blood in the urine, difficulty in urinating, obstruction of the urinary passage and other unusual urinary changes should not be ignored and may require prompt medical assessment.
Health experts also advised men experiencing persistent or unusual urinary symptoms to visit a healthcare facility for proper medical evaluation rather than delaying treatment.
The training further drew attention to delayed hospital attendance as one of the challenges affecting the management of prostate cancer in some communities.
According to the information shared during the programme, some patients seek medical attention only after the disease has advanced, while others may initially rely on traditional remedies before visiting a hospital.
The management of ABUTH therefore urged members of the public, particularly men, to seek professional medical attention as soon as they notice unusual symptoms, stressing that people should not wait until an illness becomes severe before going to the hospital.
Participants expressed appreciation for the training and pledged to apply the knowledge acquired in their respective primary healthcare centres and communities.
The programme ended successfully with the participants returning to their various health facilities to support community awareness, promote early medical consultation and strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
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