Tina Amanda
Young girls from the age of nine and above have been urged to get vaccinated against Human Papilloma Virus, an organism that causes cervical cancer.
President Medical Women Association, MWAN, Rivers State, Dr Ibimonye Porbeni, who stated this during a Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, stressed that early stage diagnosis of cervical, prostrate and breast cancer can be cured.
She noted that breast cancer is the commonest and major public health problems affecting women worldwide, seconded by cancer of the cervix.
“Young girls of nine years old and above can actually vaccinate themselves against the human Papilloma Virus with the vaccine, when they are vaccinated upto three times they will be protected. The HPV vaccine is gotten at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt , Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and Medical Women Center Port Harcourt.
” For older women, they have to do pap smear once a year, visit a gynecologist to be examined. Also, prostrate cancer is preventable, although it is seen in older men, so men are advised to start prostrate cancer screening early from the age of thirty-five (35) years, most times it is from fifty years above”
Dr Porbeni however urged women to go for Mammography examination on the breast in Medical Women Center for early screening.
Also, Dr Rosemary Ogu, Obstetrician Gynecologist at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, urged women to conduct self breast examination to prevent and ensure there is no negative changes in breast size or shape, lumps or thickening within the breast.
“Breast and cervical Cancers are preventable, if people are not aware of These diseases, how will they prevent them? So we are telling the people of Rivers State, people of Nigeria and world at large that cancer is a problem early awareness and detection saves life”
