International Women's Day 2010:  Cervical Cancer Awareness Communication
1. Cervical Cancer
Sunday March 08, 2009 – was a date set aside as ‘International Women’s Day’, in this light I feel it is important to sensitize Nairaland Forumites about a disease that kills more women than any other disease except bosom cancer  – CERVICAL CANCER. The essence is to emphasize the key facts about this disease and motivate all to take necessary action to protect themselves, their wives and daughters against this dreadful disease.
2. Cervical Cancer is a problem affecting many women worldwide
Every two minutes a woman dies of cervical cancer worldwide1.  Cervical Cancer is the second most    common cancer affecting women worldwide accounting for about 10% of all cancers.   Every woman is at risk of this whatever the age.
3. Where does Cervical Cancer develop?
Cervical cancer develops in the cervix – the low, narrow neck of the uterus that opens into the womanliness. The cervix is of vital importance because it protects the Uterus, it prevents infections from reaching the uterus.
4. The NECCESSARY Cause of Cervical Cancer is a virus
Over the last 20 years, scientists from around the world have proven that certain types of a virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are the NECESSARY cause of cervical cancer. These types have been detected in up to 99.7% of all cervical cancers worldwide.  There are more than 100 types of the virus among which types 16, 18, 45, 31, cause about 80% of all cervical cancer cases.  The virus can be transmitted during intimacy or even sometimes during intimate focal place skin to skin contact. Every sexually active woman has an increased risk of contracting the virus. In fact up to 80% of women will be infected with some type of the virus at sometime in their lives.
5. You can do something to help yourself
There has been huge success with smear testing (screening), also called Pap test in many countries around the world. Regular smear testing is presently the most effective way of detecting the cervical cell abnormalities, which may be early signs of cervical cancers. Whilst the smear test does not prevent the virus, it does help to identify early signs of the disease. This then allows treatment to be given quickly, easily and often successfully.  Make a point of finding out when your next test is due. Regular attendance of smear test will help you protect yourself.
Cervarix Vaccines are recommended for young female children aged 9 -14years!.