Gom Mirian
Cervical cancer remains a deadly threat to thousands of women in Nigeria, with over 12,075 women diagnosed with the disease, and 7,968 women losing their lives each year.
Dr Joseph Urang, the Rivers State immunisation officer, made this disclosure on Thursday during a two-day workshop on the care of small and sick newborns and the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Nigeria which held in Port Harcourt.
He highlighted the urgent need to address this issue head-on, stating that cervical cancer is currently the second most common occurring cancer in Nigeria with a fatality rate at 9.4 per cent, meaning that nearly one in every ten women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Nigeria will lose their lives to the disease.
Adding to the urgency of this issue is the revelation that 56.2 million females, aged 15 years and above, are at risk of developing cervical cancer in Nigeria, he added, thus highlighting the pressing need for effective preventive measures and early detection programmes to combat the deadly disease.
Emphasising that HPV is a major contributor to cervical cancer cases, Dr Urang stated, “About 3.5% of women in the general population are estimated to have cervical HPV-16 or HPV-18 infection at any given time, and 66.9% of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to these HPVs.”
During the workshop, Dr Iroro Smith, a reproductive health coordinator in Rivers State, also stressed the crucial role of oxygen availability for sick newborns and the importance of the HPV vaccine.
She stated: “Oxygen availability is vital for the survival and well-being of small and sick newborns, while the HPV vaccine has proven to be an effective preventive measure against cervical cancer. It is essential to ensure that these crucial resources are easily accessible across Nigeria to save countless lives.”
On her part, Mrs Margaret Adaba Soyemi, Social and Behavioural Change Section, UNICEF, warned against misconceptions about the HPV vaccine, stating that it has the negative impact on public confidence and progress in cervical cancer combat.
