COCOBOD ladies at the event
FEMALE STAFF of COCOBOD in the Bono Region have gone through a sensitization workshop on cervical cancer.
About 70 women, including female staff from other sister organizations in Sunyani benefited from the awareness creation.
Health personnel from the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), Hospital Fiapre, led by Dr. Glizal Abaka Quansah, an obstetrician gynaecologist took the women through the awareness creation session.
The women where enlightened on the causes and risk factors of cervical cancer.
Dr. Abaka Quansah explained that the disease is a viral infection caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
“Having multiple sexual partners is a high risk factor for infection,” he said.
According to him, the disease is asymptomatic and takes a longer time between 10 to 15 years to manifest by which time it would have developed into a full grown cancer.
“The good news is that, it can be detected through regular health screening using methods like the pap smear. The HPV vaccine can also be used for prevention,” Dr. Abaka Quansah said.
The Brong Ahafo Regional administrator of COCOBOD, Michael P K Asumanu, said the organization capitalised on the cervical cancer awareness month marked in January every year to raise cervical cancer awareness among its female staff.
He noted that because the disease is asymptomatic and takes longer years to manifest, it is appropriate and necessary to bring awareness closer to the female staff through screening.
He advised the women to regularly avail themselves for screening for early detection and increased chances of cure.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani