NAFDAC Partners Nollywood Actress On Fibroid Treatment

The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is partnering with Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda, to treat ten women of uterine fibroid disease across the country. At the inauguration of the project in Abuja today, Monalisa Chinda under her Arise Monalisa Foundation, said "this is a cause that is very close to my heart because at every stage you get in life, you just want to

give back to the society."

She said "I choose fibroid because people don't really talk about it. I have had two aunties who lost their lives because of fibroid and everybody just keep doing the same old cliché of giving to motherless babies home while not caring for health. NAFDAC cares for health, making sure that issues of counterfeit drugs are curbed."

The actress said that every year, her foundation supports a cause. "We have supported autism, albinism and sent many slum children back to school in the past. This year, we are on another campaign- the Uterus Fibroid Awareness. We found out that the society views fibroid as a normal sickness for a woman and not much is said about it. That is why we want to talk about it. The mission is to educate, build a support network and also to treat identified cases across Nigeria."

"This project is basically about helping 10 women to get treated of fibroid. We want to start small. We are talking about surgeries or lesser treatments depending on the magnitude of the condition," she said. She explained that in partnering with NAFDAC, the project was looking at the drugs and partnerships with other hospitals that would help these women who cannot afford the cost of these surgeries.

"We are going to do the treatments in the country. We want to show to these women that we can treat them here. It is not just a black men's disease but we have this terrible issue where some of these women are stigmatized or become shy because of their condition," she added.

Responding, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii said that fibroid as women's disease. is shrouded in secrecy and ignorance, and that the awareness that the actress has started will be backed with solutions.

"On our side, it is already our duty to safeguard the health of the nation. What you are doing is already our duty, you are only helping us to carry it out and we appreciate you and partner with you in this course," he said.