The National Coordinator of Women and Gender for Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) Irene Mensah Jocobs has bemoaned about how the deadly Cervical Cancer is taking many women to their early graves in the country.
According to her, in 2021, 2,797 women in Ghana contracted Cervical Cancer and out of the figure, 1,679 died.
She adds, most of the women who often contract the cervical cancer virus normally looses their lives, so therefore, it is very important for them to go to the hospital to do a periodic screening to enable health professionals give them medical attention before it turns into something different.
“A lot of women in Ghana still think that, the cervical cancer is a spiritual diseases so when they get it, instead of going to hospital for early treatment you will see them jumping from one prayer camp to the another unless it becomes serious before they will be rushed to hospital and if you’re not lucky you may loose your live”,she told KONTIHEN KOFI OBOH.
Irene Mensah Jocobs (Mrs) made this known when the Eastern Regional branch of Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association organised Women and Gender Seminar for its members at Koforidua on Friday, May, 19, 2023.
She then entreated members of the association who benefited from the seminar to go out there and educate their fellow women on the importance to take their health status serious especially when it comes to issues of cervical cancer.
The Women and Gender Seminar Program was celebrated under the THEME:” EMPOWERING WOMEN IN GHANA TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES THROUGH VACCINATION AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER
She later explained that, the cervical cancer is being caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and is very difficult for a woman to determine if she has it because of where the cervix is located and it takes only screening to determine.
Irene Jocobs again revealed that, the Human Papilloma Virus doesn’t bring only the cervical cancer but also comes with a lot of cancers such as penile cancer among others.
She advise that, if they test it and they don’t have any of them, they should be vaccinated to prevent them from getting any of the cancers to help them live long for their families and the country as a whole.
Furthermore, the Eastern Regional Chairman of Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Rev. Hayford Laryea also added that, the death troll which was recorded in 2021as a result of the cervical cancer amongst women is a mind blowing which needed to be addressed.
“Saying, the only means the continuation of creation exist is through the child bearing and if we sit aloof for the women to continuing loosing their lives that would be the end of the world”, he added.
Rev. Laryea said, over 1,600 death cases could have been prevented should the husbands of these affected persons played their role well.
“The enthusiasm husbands use to examine their wives breast to see whether they have breast cancer or not they should do same by taking their wives to hospital to check if they have contracted cervical cancer then the doctors would treated it for them quick before it get out of the hands.
Rev. Hayford Laryea stated that, the cervical cancer is the 4th most commonist cancer in the world and 2nd in Ghana.
By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.
Source// Obohnewsonline.com.
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