The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has pledged full legislative support for cancer prevention initiatives and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) awareness in the state.
Ogundoyin made this commitment on Wednesday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mobile Truck Clinic and Molecular Laboratory, an initiative of the HPV Consortium, held at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
The event, which marked a significant step in the state’s health sector, was attended by top dignitaries including the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal, who represented Governor Seyi Makinde, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, international health partners from Northwestern University, USA, and leading experts in public health and medicine.
In his remarks, Ogundoyin hailed the launch of the Mobile Truck Clinic, designed to bring essential cancer screening and preventive health services to underserved communities in four Local Government Areas across Oyo State.
The clinic, supported by the John R. Flanagan Charitable Foundation, will target between 50,000 and 60,000 residents in its initial rollout.
“The screenings will include cervical, anal, oral, breast, and prostate cancers, alongside tests for diabetes and hypertension. This initiative represents more than just infrastructure, it is a revolution in community-focused health delivery,” the Speaker remarked.
He also commended the HPV Consortium, led by Professor Imran Morhason-Bello, for adopting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates Public Health, Medical Sciences, Nursing, Dentistry, and the Humanities.
He equally praised the group’s collaborations with world-class institutions like Northwestern University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, describing them as proof of a commitment to innovative, data-driven research and outreach.
Sharing personal reflections, the Speaker recounted losing his mother to cancer and growing up with a father who battled sickle cell anemia, experiences that have shaped his passion for public health and informed policy.
“As lawmakers, we recognize the importance of science, data, and innovation in shaping sound public policy,” he stated.
Ogundoyin announced plans for the legislature to consider key health-related actions, including passing a resolution mandating routine HPV vaccination for eligible students in public schools, in line with WHO guidelines, supporting awareness programs in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Health, and advocating special budget lines to fund community health outreach efforts like the Mobile Truck Clinic.
Other plans highlighted include working with the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board and the HPV Consortium to develop oversight and accountability frameworks for mobile screening programs, engaging young people through the Youth Parliament and civic channels to promote sensitization campaigns across schools and communities, and introducing a Comprehensive Cancer Control Bill to provide a legal framework for screenings, data collection, research, and patient care.
“This is more than a ceremony, it’s a call to conscience and we must not rest until preventive screening becomes a norm, not a privilege,” Ogundoyin said.
The Speaker also called on government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector to collaborate and support early detection and prevention strategies to reduce the burden of cancer and HPV-related illnesses in Oyo State.