Avoid multiple sexual partners - Medical Officer cautions adolescent women
The Medical Officer in-charge of the Nsoatre Health Centre in the Sunyani West Municipality, Dr Prince Yeboah Agyeman, has advised adolescent women to refrain from having multiple sexual partners since that was a recipe for having cervical cancer.
He said there was also the need for them to get screened in order to be treated, if they were found to have conditions that could develop into cervical cancer or vaccinated if they were tested negative.
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"If conditions that could lead to cervical cancer are detected early, they can be treated while those who do not have such conditions can be vaccinated to protect them", Dr Agyeman assured.
He was speaking at a cervical cancer sensitisation programme organised by the Collective Representative Health and Empowerment (CORE) Foundation, in collaboration with the Nsoatre Health Centre at Nsoatre.
The three-day sensitisation programme was organised as part of activities organised by the two institutions to commemorate the January Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
It was organised on the theme: "Screen off cervical cancer from the community".
Cervical Cancer
Anyone with a cervix is at risk of cervical cancer. It occurs most often in people over age 30.
Long-lasting infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer.
HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex. At least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer.
Dr Agyeman said last year, five women from the area who showed symptoms of the disease were referred to other health institutions where they tested positive.
He expressed joy that the Nsoatre Health Centre currently had the capacity to screen and vaccinate people against cervical cancer.
"This is good news and our doors are opened everyday for women to walk in here for screening", Dr Agyeman said.
Foundation
For her part, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of CORE Foundation, Theresa Sunkwa, said the vision of the CORE Foundation to implement sustainable programmes where all stakeholders would be involved to promote their sexual and reproductive health.
"We are working to bring reproductive health interventions to the doorsteps of the people", she stated.