A medical team from the Duala Medical Centre have educated personnel on cervical cancer at the Air Force Headquarters (AFHQ) on Thursday 18 January 2024.

In her opening remarks, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the 37 Military Hospital, Dr Eileen Quist explained that the rationale behind the lecture was to help create awareness about cervical cancer and to encourage women to get screened and vaccinated.

Dr Quist added that, the month of January was set aside by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to create awareness on the risk factors, signs and symptoms, preventive measures and treatment available for the disease.

Delivering her lecture, the Medical Officer in charge of Duala Medical Centre, Dr Ewura Adjoa Ahimah Nunoo explained that cervical cancer was an abnormal growth of cells on the cervix of women which could lead to death when not detected early and treated.

According to Dr Nunoo, 5000 cervical cancer cases are reported annually in Ghana and 99% of these cases are linked to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which is contracted through sexual intercourse and other risk factors. These factors include, sexual intercourse at early stages, having multiple sexual partners, abuse of oral contraceptives and smoking.

The Medical Officer also mentioned some of the symptoms of cervical cancer as bleeding in between periods, dyspareunia, post-menopausal bleeding and bleeding after sexual intercourse.

She further gave a detailed explanation on how cervical cancer could be diagnosed, treated and prevented through the pap smear test, radiotherapy and vaccination respectively.

Dr Nunoo encouraged young girls and older women to get screened every 3 years for the pap smear and every 5 years for the HPV and get vaccinated once they test negative for HPV.