TODAY believes that immunization of teen girls against cervical cancer is something that government must wholly support to help prevent more women from being infected with cervical cancer which is currently increasing at an alarming rate in the country. Since cervical cancer cannot be treated, the best way we think is to protect girls against the disease is to immunize those who can be infected.
OUR fear stems from the fact that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide as it accounted for 7.6 million deaths globally in 2008. What made the situation worse was that about 80 per cent of these deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries.
LACK of education and sensitisation on the part of our leaders, especially our health professionals, is something that as a country we must critically look at since most of the diseases ?killing? us could have been contained if we were doing enough education on them. For instance, if you consider the kind of publicity that has been given to the yet-to-be recorded deadly Ebola virus, it tells you that we can do more for all their diseases including opportunistic ones in the system.
THE truth of the matter is that issues about our health must not be toyed with and that is why we on this paper for some time now have been very vociferous in our editorials, on the need for government to adequately resource all the health centers in the country, especially those in the remote areas, where quality healthcare delivery is a problematic.
INDEED, when it comes to health, women are always found at the receiving end as they have to struggle to get better healthcare service. This is because in sub-Saharan African countries, many women who die through cervical cancer are as result of lack of regular medical check-ups and sensitisation. What happens is that they usually do not have enough money?particularly with single parents, where they have to struggle with poverty for survival.
BUT we think if we can intensify education on cervical cancer we will be able to combat it. We are of the firm belief that cervical cancer can be controlled if women avoid early sex and multiple sexual partners. This requires all hands-on-deck approach to help in fighting the disease since it is not a respecter of persons. Government is also required to do its part by ensuring that the necessary policies and mechanisms are put in place to prevent the disease.
THIS brings to the fore what Today has been advocating that issues of national interest should by prioritise and if possible made mandatory for all future governments to support and ensure their implementation. In that vein issues about health should not be compromised for political expediency as it is currently prevailing in the country with some sectors of the economy being politicized.
Source: Todaygh.com
