Tema, Jan. 29, GNA – Ms Aba Akoto, a nurse at the Peace and Love Hospital at Baatsona in Accra has urged women to undertake a regular cervical cancer test as it is the fifth most common cause of cancer death among women.
She mentioned that it is only through testing that one could know if they have cervical cancer or not.
She said, “gone are the days when cervical cancer was associated with people above the age of 30 because it is a sexually transmitted disease, but now children as young as ten years are having unprotected sex, it is, therefore, important for every woman to test for cervical cancer”.
Ms. Akoto stated during an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the fringes of cervical cancer and health screening exercise organized by the Office of the Women’s Commissioner of the University of Media Arts and Communication, Ghana Institute of Journalism Campus (UNIMAC-GIJ) for female students of the institute.
She stressed that discharges from the vagina and bloody discharge after sex could be some early signs of cervical cancer but can be prevented.
Ms Akoto, therefore, encouraged women to seek medical attention when they experience vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause, watery, or bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor and pelvic pain or pain during intercourse.
Ms Ayinawu Alhassan Adam, the UNIMAC-GIJ Women’s Commissioner said the screening was organized to help the ladies to understand the symptoms of cervical cancer and to take precautionary measures.
She said knowledge is power, so we seek to empower women on cervical cancer and encouraged them to go to the hospital or any medical facility for proper diagnosis anytime they experience any of the symptoms.
She said the exercise also forms part of the commemoration of Cervical Cancer Awareness this month by the global community.
Ms Adam said it is a perfect opportunity for UNIMAC-GIJ Women Commission and partners to raise awareness about cervical cancer among students.
Some of the girls who took part in the screening exercise mentioned that, even though the process was not comfortable, they are happy they have been screened and now know their status, and the education they received during the lectures was going to help them to prevent cervical cancer.