‘More than half of women diagnosed with cervical cancer die in Nigeria’
Every year, January is set aside for cervical cancer awareness. Runcie Chidebe, executive director, Project PINK BLUE, a Health and Psychological Trust Centre (HPTC) in Abuja, recently spoke with ANTHONIA OBOKOH on the rising cases of cervical cancer in Nigeria and the need for government to create more awareness and properly fund the health sector to combat the menace.
Why talk about cervical cancer in the first month of the New Year?
We talk about cervical cancer in the first month of the year because January is the official month for raising cervical cancer awareness.
Cancer has become a serious public health burden; it is responsible for 3 per cent of total mortality in Nigeria, leading to 72,000 deaths per annum.
This number is set to increase given that there are 102,000 new cases of cancer every year. The mortality incidence ratio for liver cancer is 97 per cent while cervical cancer is 58 per cent and breast cancer is 51 per cent
Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It occurs due to the abnormal growth of cells that spread from the cervix to other parts of the body
Symptoms do not manifest early on. However, later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or pain during sexual intercourse.
To have an understanding on early detection of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria, let me give you a brief statistics.
Do you know that cervical cancer kills more than 250, 000 women globally?
-85% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria.
Do you know that more than half of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Nigeria die making it the most deadly cancer in Nigerian women?
What causes the high mortality rate of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria?
Late diagnosis, lack of awareness, low utilization of screening services, lack of knowledge and suggestive symptoms.
Any woman can get cervical cancer, but some women are at higher risk because of factors such as: Having the Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV), not getting screened, smoking, multiple sex partners and age. Any woman over 30 is more likely to get cervical cancer.
There are two screening tests that can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early: A Pap test also called is an exam a doctor uses to test for cervical cancer in women. It also reveals changes in the cervical cells that may turn into cancer later.
Why are Nigerian women not aware of cervical cancer?
Why? Here are some reasons from my work and experiences as a Cancer Control.
Cervical cancer does not have symptoms at its early stages. Simply put, when a woman have cervical cancer, she may not know that she has it at that early stage of the cancer. Because there are no symptoms, it is only at late stages III or IV that the woman starts experiencing bleeding, pains and many others.
In Nigeria, our people do not go for medical check-up, except they are carried to the hospital.
What do you think are the challenges Nigerian women are facing to have the cervical cancer screening done?
Poverty is one of it; so many people cannot afford screenings at the current economic situation. Even the Federal Ministry of Health is not well funded in Healthcare and cancer control. We need more private investment and foundations to support cancer control including National Screenings.
For instance, in other countries screenings for cervical cancer is enshrined in routine care. Here this is not the case.
The second is the affordability of Vaccines, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine costs over N16, 000. Not every Nigerian family can afford this vaccine for their ladies and girls.
There is a need for serious advocacy to add HPV Vaccine to the Routine Immunization of Nigeria’s National Primary Health Development Agency.
However, Immunization Funding is really low, as you may be aware GAVI Alliance is withdrawing funding for Vaccines in Nigeria.
Hence, the Federal, state and private sectors need to support funding for vaccine. If we continue to have a Health budget of meagre 5%, Nigerians will continue to die of preventable diseases like Cervical Cancer.
Let’s not forget that cervical cancer, affects the neck of the WOMB, whether you are a woman or man, we are all the product of the womb. Let’s all protect it.
What are the chances of lowering the risk of getting Cervical Cancer?
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most often cause cervical cancer. It is recommended for both males and females. In females, the HPV vaccine helps to prevent cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancers. It also protects against cancer of the anus, mouth and throat.
Cervical cancer can be prevented or found early with regular screening tests
What can the government do to increase awareness in Nigeria?
There is no systematic screenings program in Nigeria. What we have is sporadic screenings, where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) organise here and there.
There is a need for the Federal Government to mandate that all Public Health Centre through the State Levels to ensure that once a woman comes into any
PHC, she must go for cervical cancer screening like Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid.
Facts
The most common symptoms of cervical cancer are:
•bleeding between periods
•bleeding after sexual intercourse
•bleeding in post-menopausal women
•discomfort during sexual intercourse
•smelly vaginal discharge
•vaginal discharge tinged with blood
•pelvic pain
These symptoms can have other causes, including infection. Anyone who experiences any of these symptoms should see a doctor.
To have an understanding on early detection of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria, let me give you a brief statistics.
Do you know that cervical cancer kills more than 250, 000 women globally?
-85% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria.
Do you know that more than half of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Nigeria die making it the most deadly cancer in Nigerian women?