Cervical
cancer kills 260,000 women annually, according to health experts. It’s the most
common cancer among women in The Gambia, they added.
At
a press briefing held at the Central Medical Store in Kotu last week, Sidat
Fofana, deputy programme manager of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)
said that national human papilloma virus vaccine was introduced in The Gambia
to prevent cervical cancer. He added that all the girls in grade 3 and out of
school girls aged 9-14 years are targeted for the vaccination against human
papilloma virus.
Mr.
Fofana, added that almost all cases of cervical cancer (99%) are caused by a
sexually transmitted virus called the human papilloma virus (HPV). “HPV can
also cause genital warts in both men and women and other cancers of the anus,
vagina, penis, vulva and throat.”
Mr.
Fofana mentioned that most of the people with HPV do not show any signs or
symptoms and unaware of the infection in most cases. ‘HPV infection will clear
its own,’ he said.
“However,
persistent infection can lead to pre-cancerous lesions, if untreated,” he
added, and “these lesions can lead to cervical cancer,” he added.
According
to him, the signs of cervical cancer include abnormal vaginal bleeding,
abnormal vaginal discharge, back and pelvic pain.
Mr.
Fofana disclosed that The Gambia is the second country in Africa after Senegal
that has the vaccine for cervical cancer.
Buba
Darboe, programme manager at the Ministry of Health, said cervical cancer can
be treated and the cancer screening and treatment services are available in
certain areas in the country. He added that vaccination is the most effective
way to prevent cervical cancer.
Mr.
Darboe said vaccination will take place at all public and private schools in
The Gambia, including madarasas and it will be available in health facilities
and communities for girls who are out of school and the vaccine is free for all
girls in grade 3 and their out of school peers aged 9 - 14 years.
He
noted that the vaccine will be given by trained health workers in all the
vaccination sites, and he urged parents and teachers to ensure that all grade 3
girls and their out of school peers are vaccinated.