Cancer education at Porebada Primary School

The Papua New Guinea Cancer Foundation (PNGCF), in partnership with ExxonMobil PNG, conducted the sixth 2019 Healthy Teens Schools Program (HTSP) at Porebada Primary School, in the Central Province on May 8th.

The HTSP is a school-based cancer education and awareness program that focuses on empowering teenagers to make healthy lifestyle choices as a way to reduce their risk of getting cancer in the future.

When asked about the relevance of the HTS Program to students in school, Executive Manager of PNGCF, Priscillar Napoleon, said: “Students have to be empowered with the knowledge to make personal healthy lifestyle choices and the HTS Program encourages students to make positive lifestyle choices before they are influenced by peer pressure”.

Almost 300 girls and boys at Porebada Primary School, from grades 7 and 8, participated under the HTS Program that was conducted on the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices to reduce their cancer risk in the future.

Each workshop was conducted by PNGCF Health Educators Jacob Oburi and Loyla Mathew, assisted by Privillia Thomas and Naomi Gima.

Oburi, an active health educator with the PNGCF, emphasised on the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.

“Students need to know the choices they can make to reduce their cancer risk are simple, such as do not drink alcohol, do not smoke and do not chew betelnut.”

He added on by stating that most students already participate in sports in and outside of school and should maintain that (regular physical activity) as well as eating healthy.

The HTS Program will continue throughout the remainder of the year to cover Papa and Lealea villages in Central Province.

With the support from ExxonMobil PNG in 2018, the message of making healthy lifestyle choices reached over 1,800 students through the HTS program and has seen an increased 950 students reached so far this year.

(Jacob Oburi, PNGCF Health Educator, delivering the presentation to Grade 7 and 8 students of Porebada Primary School)

Author: 
Press release