In order to curb the devastating effect of cervical cancer in Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Medical Services, the End Cervical Cancer in Nigeria Initiative and other medical experts, have held a two-day training on cervical cancer screening for nurses and midwives.
Speaking at the training on Tuesday in Abuja, the National President of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) and wife of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hajia Hajara Usman Alkali Baba, advised women to go for medical checkup every three or six months in order to know their health status and take prompt action.
Speaking earlier, the Force Medical Officer (FMO), CP (Dr) Garba Emmanuel, said that evidence demonstrates Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection as a major cause of cervical cancer and that the sexually transmitted virus infects 99% of women at one time or the other during their reproductive life.
He said; “Cervical cancer, otherwise called cancer of the mouth of the womb, affects the cervix, which is the lowermost part of the uterus. Globally, it is the fourth most common cancer affecting women, but the second most common cancer affecting women in Nigeria. It is estimated that over 600,000 cases develop annually and about 300,000 preventable deaths occur as a result of cervical cancer globally.
“The burden of the disease is not uniformly distributed across the globe. Developing countries like Nigeria account for over 90% of the global burden of the disease. In Nigeria, the age standardized incidence of cervical cancer is 27.1 per 100,000 women and age standardized mortality rate of 20.0 per 100, 000 women. This incidence and mortality rates in absolute figures were estimated to be 12,075 cases of cervical cancer and 7,968 cervical cancer related deaths, given a case fatality of 66% in Nigeria.
“Current evidence clearly demonstrates Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection as a cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a very common sexually transmitted virus that infects 99% of women at one time or the other during their reproductive life. However, majority will clear the infection through their natural immunity without any consequences. Cervical cancer develops when the body’s natural immune system is not able to clear the infection.
“The Nigeria Police Medical Services, which boasts of having healthcare facilities across the country to provide for adequate medical intervention to our personnel, their immediate families and the general public, is poised to ensure that all efforts in eradicating the menace of cervical cancer among our women is achieved with maximum result.
“Collaboration with the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), led by the indefatigable National President, Hajia Hajara Usman Alkali Baba (Mama POWA) and the Police Health Maintenance Limited in providing the adequate logistics to ensure that the goal of eradicating this menace is achieved, cannot be over emphasized.
“Today, we have assembled our nurses and midwives from all our police healthcare facilities across the country to provide training on cervical cancer screening with technical support from the End Cervical Cancer in Nigeria Initiative.
“I thank the Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba psc(+), NPM, fdc, NEAPS, CFR for his unrelenting support and fatherly closeness to the department in giving it a total face-lift in the overall provision of healthcare to our personnel, their immediate families and the general public.
“I urge the participants to make very good use of this training opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in providing adequate care to cervical cancer patients. It is my sincere wish that the effect of this training shall be felt by all and sundry.”
On his part, the President/CEO of Nigerian Cancer Society, Dr Adamu Al-Hassan Umar, said that poverty, ignorance and care-free attitude has been contributing to the spread of cervical cancer, adding that early detection will necessitate timely treatment, especially as the disease is curable.
Similarly, a consultant gynecologist and the Executive Director of End Cervical Cancer in Nigeria Initiative, Dr Ishak Lawal, who presented a paper on the epidemiology of cervical cancer, said that early diagnosis will lead to effective treatment, even as he encouraged women to always pay attention to changes in their bodies and carry out regular checks.