Ghana launches cervical cancer vaccination campaign

Mrs Lordina Mahama, the First Lady, on Monday said a total of 1,500 women die from cervical cancer each year in the country.

“Every year, almost 2,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ghana and out of that a total of 1,500 die from it,” she stressed.

The First Lady said this during the launch of the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) vaccine meant to immunise girls from nine to 13 years against cervical cancer at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.

Cervical cancer is the cancer of the cervix, which is the entrance of the lower part of the womb.

This type of cancer occurs when the cells at the opening of the womb become abnormal and starts to grow out of control.

HPV is an infection contracted when females become sexually active.

Cervical cancer often affects women at the end of their reproductive years, that is, from 40- 50 years, however, changes in the body that leads on to the cancer can start early from the adolescent age.

The causes of cervical cancer include early initiation into sexual activities, unprotected sex with multiple partners and infection with HPV.

However, immunisation of the girl-child before she becomes sexually active would increase her chances of not contracting the virus when she becomes sexually active.

The First Lady said apart from the Greater Accra Region, the HPV immunisation project would also be conducted in the Northern and the Central Regions on pilot basis because of the female adolescent reproductive behaviour in the two regions.

“In all 17 districts in the Greater Accra, Central and Northern Regions have been earmarked for the vaccination and all the girls in primary class four or five in both public and private schools in…would be vaccinated against cervical cancer,” she said.

She expressed her appreciation to GAVI Alliance, an organisation which provides vaccines for immunisation worldwide, for the provision of the vaccines.

The First Lady appealed to parents and teachers to ensure that their eligible children are vaccinated.

Dr Mercy Ahun, Special Representative for GAVI Support Eligible Countries, called for a concerted effort in the battle against cervical cancer.

“A woman dies from cervical cancer every two minutes and out of the 275,000 women who die of cervical cancer each year, more than 85 per cent of them live in developing countries where access to screening and treatment is often limited,” she said.

Source: GNA