Aboadze (WR), Jan 31, GNA – The Medical Superintendent of the Volta River Authority (VRA) Hospital at Aboadze, Dr Charles Ahenful, has advised women to vaccinate against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) while adopting safe sex practices to prevent contracting cervical cancer.
He explained that cervical cancer was mainly caused by HPV, which is transmitted sexually, noting that HPV was the most common type of sexually transmitted infection (STI).
He mentioned key risk factors of HPV infection as early coitarche (having sex at an early age), multiple sexual partners and having unprotected sex.
Dr Ahenful, who revealed this in an interview with the GNA, in the Shama District, said the VRA Hospital had now developed a Cervical Cancer Screening Center with a well-trained Specialist Clinician for that purpose.
He disclosed that the Centre would also provide cervical cancer education and free screening to the public.
Dr Ahenful said the initiative formed part of the Hospital’s cervical cancer awareness month project, aimed at encouraging more people to get screened for the disease.
“Don’t ignore your cervix, give it some screen time. Being healthy includes protecting what you can’t see especially your cervix. Book for an appointment this week,” he implored.
According to him, about 80 per cent of women could have an HPV infection at some time in their lives, but added the virus could clear without any treatment since the body was capable of clearing the HPV infection on its own within a short period.
He further explained that when the infection persisted then it could result into warts, pre-cancer disease of the cervix and cancer of the cervix.
According to him, the virus could take more than 20 to 30 years to effect the necessary changes that would manifest as cancer, emphasizing that early screening to detect the changes early was vital in preventing the disease.
Touching on the screening methods for a pre-cancer disease of the cervix, Dr Ahenful mentioned the Pap Test (Pap smear) and the Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) tests as the main means of detecting the disease.
He added that the Pap test or Screening programme is initiated from age 25 and repeated three times yearly until 50 years, then changed to five times yearly.
The month of January is acknowledged worldwide as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, with this year’s theme as, “CERVICAL CANCER – Get Screened! Get Vaccinated!”
GNA