‘ABSTINENCE KEY TO AVOID CERVICAL CANCER’

TEENAGE

girls should abstain early sexual activity to reduce the risk of getting cervical cancer, a Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) activist Evans Mwale has advised.

Mr Mwale said research had proven that abstaining from early sex was one way of reducing cervical cancer, the most common cancer among women in Zambia.

He told the Daily Nation in an interview that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which caused cervical cancer, was acquired through skin to skin contact with someone who had the virus during sexual intercourse. He said once infected, the virus could stay in the host for about 10 to 15 years before symptoms start to show.

“Symptoms include offensive discharge from the vagina, blood flow after normal menstrual periods, during or after sexual intercourse and women in their menopausal age who bleed, prolonged back pains, loss of weight among others,”

Mr Mwale said.

He also said there was need for teenage girls from nine to 14 years who had not been initiated to sex to be given a vaccine to prevent them from getting the HPV infection.

Mr Mwale said the teenage girls, not engaged in any sexual activity would be 100 percent immunised when they go for vaccination.

He also advised women who experience any of the symptoms to visit the health centre for medical examination, adding that some of the risk factors of developing cervical cancer included the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), low socio-economic status, smoking, marrying before the age of 18, young age at the first coitus, multiple sexual partners, multiple sexual partners of spouse and multiple childbirths.

Mr Mwale said too many women were dying of cervical cancer and that every woman needed examination to reduce the deaths.

“The situation can be averted when detected early and therefore the screening is necessary,” he said.

Cervical cancer is a major public health issue causing morbidity and mortality globally.