The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), in collaboration with Duala Medical Centre (DMC), have launched Cervical Cancer Awareness Month with a series of lectures for personnel at the General Headquarters (Camp) on Monday 13 January 2025. Observed annually in January, the dedicated period serves as a platform for GAF to educate personnel and the public, particularly women about the risks, symptoms and preventive measures of cervical cancer. Delivering the key lecture at the opening of the campaign, the Medical Officer in charge of Duala Medical Centre, Dr Ewura Adjoa Ahimah Nunoo, stressed the importance of awareness, early screening and vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer Dr Nunoo highlighted that according to statistics, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women, with an estimated 570,000 new cases in 2018, accounting for 6.6% of all female cancers globally. She revealed that cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Ghana and remains a significant public health issue. Dr Nunoo said cervical cancer was a sexually transmitted infection hence urged all women, particularly young girls to receive the HPV vaccine as a preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing the cancer Furthermore, she pointed out that HPV infection can also lead to cancers in men, including penile cancer, cancers of the anus and throat and tonsils in both genders. She outlined several warning signs of the disease, including abnormal menstrual bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), and unexplained weight loss. Dr Nunoo stressed the importance of regular screening, such as the Pap smear test to detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix before they turn cancerous. She encouraged all women to make regular screening a priority for their health.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), in collaboration with Duala Medical Centre (DMC), have launched Cervical Cancer Awareness Month with a series of lectures for personnel at the General Headquarters (Camp) on Monday 13 January 2025.
Observed annually in January, the dedicated period serves as a platform for GAF to educate personnel and the public, particularly women about the risks, symptoms and preventive measures of cervical cancer.
Delivering the key lecture at the opening of the campaign, the Medical Officer in charge of Duala Medical Centre, Dr Ewura Adjoa Ahimah Nunoo, stressed the importance of awareness, early screening and vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer
Dr Nunoo highlighted that according to statistics, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women, with an estimated 570,000 new cases in 2018, accounting for 6.6% of all female cancers globally. She revealed that cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Ghana and remains a significant public health issue.
Dr Nunoo said cervical cancer was a sexually transmitted infection hence urged all women, particularly young girls to receive the HPV vaccine as a preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing the cancer
Furthermore, she pointed out that HPV infection can also lead to cancers in men, including penile cancer, cancers of the anus and throat and tonsils in both genders.
She outlined several warning signs of the disease, including abnormal menstrual bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), and unexplained weight loss.
Dr Nunoo stressed the importance of regular screening, such as the Pap smear test to detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix before they turn cancerous. She encouraged all women to make regular screening a priority for their health.