Ecobank pledges support for fight against non-communicable diseases

*Staff members walk against cancer*

Ecobank Nigeria has pledged its commitment and financial support for the fight against non-communicable diseases.

Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, said this at the weekend during the bank’s cancer awareness walk in Lagos as part of the commemoration of the bank’s day.

Ecobank Day is a special day set aside every year by the Ecobank Group for management and staff of the bank to embark on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities that impacts its immediate environment and people.

With the theme for this year’s edition, “Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases” and with special focus on “Cancer Awareness,” Ecobank Day holds simultaneously in the 33 countries in Africa where the bank operates.

Akinwuntan said: “We started the Ecobank Day in 2013 where we picked the first Saturday of every October to come together across our 36 countries to pick an item where we can add value to the society. This year, we decided that non communicable diseases deserve to be highlighted.’

He added that the bank chooses to support the cause because of its mortality rate and the need to encourage the people to do regular check-ups to prevent the disease.

He noted that this year the bank would support selected cancer patients financially nationwide, as well as organise cancer prevention awareness campaigns, adding: “For three years, we will to focus on preventing non-communicable diseases and this year we are focusing on cancer.

“For us, across all the venues today, we are offering either subsidised or free check-up for all participants, work force, family and friends in order to check our health status and take care of early prevention.

“And for those that the cancer impact is much higher, we would bring people together to contribute money to support them as they go through their cancer treatment. So, for us in Ecobank Nigeria, you can go to our mobile app and you would see under our pay bills Ecobank cares and you are able to contribute so we support people battling cancer.”

Speaking, Chief Risk Officer, Biyi Olagbami, who also doubles as the lead CSR champion for Ecobank Nigeria, said the bank plans to intensify its CSR activities nationwide.

“In Ecobank, we take our CSR seriously and we do this across all our presence countries “This should be the spring board to a stronger impact going forward. We have been doing this for a few years and we don’t intend to stop instead we intend to increase the intensity of our activity in this area,” he said.

The cancer awareness walk took place simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The ‘walk’ in Lagos led by Akinwuntan and other Management staff commenced at the bank’s headquarters on Ahmadu Bello Way through major streets on Lagos Island and it attracted accolades from passersby along the route.