Blue November in Togo: Making men's health a daily struggle

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Extract from the article: Every year, the month of November is dedicated to raising public awareness of men's health issues, particularly male cancers (prostate, testicular and penile cancers). Prostate cancer isthe most common cancer in men. Occurring after the age of 50, pr

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Every year, the month of November is dedicated to raising public awareness of men's health issues, particularly male cancers (prostate, testicular and penile cancers). Prostate cancer is^the most common cancer in men. Occurring after the age of 50, prostate cancer can progress without symptoms.

In Togo, ‘Bébé Trésor’, the country's first media dedicated to prenatal and parental education, is actively committed to raising public awareness of this silent killer, as well as other diseases that particularly affect men. To achieve its objectives, this online medium, published by Smart Group Togo, officially launched the ‘Blue November’ campaign in Togo on Wednesday 6 November 2024, under the theme: ‘Making Men's Health a Daily Combat’.

The aim of the campaign is to mobilise all stakeholders around collective actions to promote men's health. "By initiating the “Novembre Bleu Togo” activities, the “Bébé Trésor” media is committed to informing, training and raising awareness among the population.At the same time, we want to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 3 (health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 10 (reducing inequalities).We can no longer ignore the fact that men's health is just as important as women's health. Men also have the right to be informed and supported in their efforts to prevent and heal,’ explained Agnindom Hodalo Christelle, Publishing Director of “Bébé Trésor” and Project Coordinator at the launch conference.

It is therefore essential to take action to promote men's health, just as is being done for women, who are currently receiving more attention and resources through the ‘Pink October’ initiative dedicated to the fight against breast cancer."Discriminatory acts are on the increase, with cases of gender-based violence (GBV). We believe it is crucial to promote initiatives that focus on men, in the same way as those that massively benefit women, in order to reduce these frustrations and inequalities at various levels.One such initiative would be to invest in the fight against prostate cancer, which is now a major public health problem and a considerable challenge for men’, she added.

Through the ‘Novembre Bleu Togo’ project, Christelle Agnindon hopes to encourage lasting change in the way men's health is addressed in Togo. The aim of ‘Novembre Bleu Togo’ is to bring about a real change in mentality and behaviour among the male population, by encouraging men to take charge of their health on a daily basis. The campaign aims to break down taboos, encourage self-testing and promote regular medical consultations.

Raising awareness, providing support and taking action are the keys to effectively combating this disease. "November should be for men what October is for women. So why so few information and awareness-raising activities? Why so little commitment from civil society organisations, stakeholders and the public themselves? Men deserve equal access to health information and prevention. (...) The time has come to mobilise in favour of men's health", said Agnindom Hodalo Christelle.

In Togo, the 2024 campaign will be marked by a number of activities: digital campaigns, radio broadcasts, information and awareness-raising sessions on male cancers, the ‘Blue Content’ challenge launched on social networks to encourage men to share their experiences and advice on men's health, and awareness-raising in the workplace. Implementing these actions requires resources to achieve concrete objectives. A solemn appeal is being made to all those of goodwill, to state actors, health professionals, health structures, associations and NGOs, to support their initiative and take up the challenge of protecting men's health.

Jean ELI