Takoradi, June 1, GNA - The Takoradi Technical University has screened more than 280 female students and staff for cervical cancer.
The cervical cancer education and screening idea which was mooted by the Registrar of the University was to also empower the staff to seek preventive measures on the various kinds of cancers.
Mrs Sylvia Oppong-Mensah, the Registrar of the University, said studies have shown that about 6.6 million women above 15 years were at risk of developing the cervical cancer in the country and that the figure may increase due to the little knowledge of the disease.
She said in 2015 alone, 2006 women out of 3038 diagnosed of cervical cancer expired according to a Ghana Health Service report.
Mrs Oppong-Mensah said to reduce the prevalence of the canker, multi-faceted strategies needed to be adopted to encourage women to obtain education on the symptoms, prevention and treatment of the disease.
Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, Deputy Western Regional Minister, said cervical cancer is the leading cause of gynecological deaths because a greater percentage of women are still ignorant of the disease.
She said community outreach efforts, education and counselling must be enhanced to help reduce personal risk factors adding, 'This initiative will ultimately help to empower women to increase control over and improve their health'.
Mr Solomon Nartey, Senior Radiation Therapist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, who educated the women on the disease, said early detection, is one key means of controlling the disease.
He said all cancers may present signs such as changes in bowels or bladder habits, unusual bleeding, thickening or lump in breast and elsewhere in the body, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, changes in wart or mole and persistent coughing or hoarseness.
Mr Nartey said for cervical cancer, some risk factors include multiple sex partners, alcohol and tobacco use and the human papilloma virus.
He said other signs are unusual bleeding, pain during intercourse, virginal discharge and abdominal pains.
The Senior Radiation Therapist said women needed to screen early at least once in every two years for early detection of the disease. GNA
By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
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