Abstain from early sex to prevent cervical cancer - female students advised

Female students have been counseled to avoid early sex to avoid contracting cervical cancer.
Miss Rebecca Ametepe, Resident Nurse at the Ensign Global College at Kpong speaking to students of the Krobo Girls Senior High School at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region as part this year’s cervical cancer awareness month marked in the month of January said avoiding early sex as one of the major contributions of contracting the disease was the best antidote for them.
Almost all cases of the disease are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) while symptoms of the disease include irregular bleeding, abnormal growths around the genitals, increased vaginal discharge, etc.
With increased screening and prevention identified as key components of the effort to eradicate cervical cancer, Miss Ametepe urged the students to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease, undergo routine testing and avoid smoking and urged them to seek immediate medical attention if they noticed any of the above symptoms.


Encouraging students to completely abstain from sexual activities, the health worker however cautioned sexually active students who cannot abstain to stick to one sexual partner or resort to the use of condom to avoid contracting the HPV which causes cervical cancer.


Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells arise in the cervix, which connects the uterus to the vagina. With HPV identified as almost always the cause of cervical cancer, vaccines against the virus are an important part of cervical cancer prevention strategies. 
Miss Ametepe also identified the various risk factors as multiple sexual partners, early sexual activity, other sexually transmitted diseases, a weak immune system, family history of cervical cancer and smoking which she said have been associated with the contraction of cervical cancer
Madam Rose Lawer, Municipal Health Promotion Officer for Lower Manya Krobo in an interview said the education was necessary especially for the young people to ensure that they are well informed to safeguard their lives. She said, “As we know this month (January) is cervical cancer awareness month. As adolescents, we have to start creating the awareness now before they grow up because early awareness saves lives.”
She also cautioned the students against inserting foreign materials into their private parts, douching, etc. in attempts to keep the vagina fresh but which end up destroying organisms that the immune system active, adding that the vagina resorts to natural means to keep itself fresh.
Miss Lawer while admitting that education on the disease was low however added that sensitization would be sustained throughout the year.
She encouraged the public to boost their immune system by eating nutritious food and exercising regularly, undergo vaccination as well as partner the media to sensitize the public.
On her part, Madam Naomi Badzi, a Physician Assistant at the Atua Government Hospital said over 2000 people were diagnosed of cervical cancer each year out of which more than 1600 die annually.
She stressed that the only remedy to address the canker was adequate information by the public on the characteristics of the disease, its prevention and the need to undergo periodic screening.
Mrs. Gladys Tsotsoo Asamoah, School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinator for the Krobo Girls Senior High School expressed her satisfaction at the event as teenagers need the sensitization the most.
Expressing confidence that the event would positively impact on the lifestyle of the students, she said the sensitization had come at the right time.
According to her, the SHEP department would keep reminding the students of the need to stay healthy at all times.
Some final year students who spoke in an interview said though they knew nothing about the disease prior to the event, the sensitization had offered them a deep insight into the condition.
Berlinda Otubea, a final year student said, “I’ve learnt that when you have sex with many partners, it brings about cervical cancer…I’ll stay away from early sex (to avoid contracting cervical cancer).”
Another said, “I learnt about the ISV (Informed, Screened, Vaccinated), get informed, get screened and get vaccinated.”