Fighting cervical cancer: Mothers need knowledge empowerment

Cervical cancer is avoidable, if concern is taken. 
I will thus insensitively say that ‘cervical cancers kill lazy women’.

But because of inadequate affordable screening centers, I revoke my insensitive comment and instead demand for dispersed screening centers.

Ladies can go for screening as well as teaching them about cervical cancer, which boast of claiming lives of mothers in Uganda. Doing so will empower them especially with knowledge about the ailment.

The A-Z about cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a condition where there is uncontrolled growth of some cells in the mouth of the womb, call it cervix.

This uncontrolled cells growth spreads to other organs, interfering with normal body functions. Its spread is slow, and all this time, one may not experience any pain, or irregular bleeding.

Pain only presents when the disease has already spread to other parts of the body, making it hard to treat it.

Cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).This virus is commonly transmitted through sexual intercourse.

It is the commonest cancer affecting Ugandan women, much as it is treatable if diagnosed early, it’s shocking that about 2000 women die annually according to the Ministry of Health statistics.

It can be prevented and treated if detected early. However, issues of inadequate accessibility to free screening centers terrible ignorance about the ailment makes many ladies to succumb to cervical cancer.

 

The knowledge about cervical cancer or even other cancers is still scanty in the people’s minds and many still misconnect it to witchcraft.

Knowledge for example about the likely causes is still not in the custody of the public and this makes them hard to fight something they do not know some of the conditions which increase the risk include, early sexual intercourse, that is below 18 years of age and this is a common practice in the rural areas.

 

Having multiple paterns, or a partner having many sexual partners giving many births and this is common since there is misconception about family planning, coupled with inaccessibility to the services.

 

For a woman who has been exposed to Human papilloma Virus (HPV), it takes her about 10 to 15 years to develop cervical cancer. This means health workers have a chance to detect and treat the early changes that can lead to cervical cancer but in cases of low immunity as in HIV infected ladies, this period may be shorter.

However, it is important to note that not everyone who has been exposed to HPV will develop cancer of the cervix. Some women are able to fight the infection naturally.

This however, is hard to tell whose body is able to fight and whose is not. And since there no symptoms to tell who has HPV and who doesn’t, screening is such important. 

Cervical cancer can be escaped if certain risks are avoided including:

Avoiding multiple sexual partners and getting involved with partners with many sexual contacts, Avoiding early sexual intercourse,Use condoms to prevent sexually transimitted dieases.

Avoid many births by using birth control measures and Regular screening at least once in 3 years. HPV vaccination to young girls who have not engaged in sex.

 

For more information visit the cervical cancer prevention manual,designed by the ministry of health.