The Ho Municipal Health Directorate has identified the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as the leading cause of cervical cancer in the municipality, urging parents to ensure their daughters aged 9 to 14 are vaccinated.
With more than 40 cases of cervical cancer recorded in the Ho Municipality in 2024, HPV has been linked to over 95% of cases.
Speaking to Citi News on Monday, September 29, the Ho Municipal Disease Control Officer, Prosper Amegadzi, said the HPV vaccine remains one of the most effective preventive measures.
The vaccination campaign, expected to begin in October, will target girls before their first exposure to the virus. He called on parents to make their daughters available for the exercise.
“Of late, we have seen an increase in all cancer cases, most especially cervical cancer. Last year [2024] alone, we recorded close to 48 cases of cervical cancer within the municipality, which is of a worrying trend for us health officials. Cervical cancer is caused mainly by a virus known as human papillomavirus, simply because all the cases that we are recording, all the statistics show that when we carry out a test on these women who suffer cervical cancer, the result shows that we are finding this human papillomavirus in this test.
“Cancer is a dreadful disease. The treatment is very, very expensive. Now, there is hope for us because it can be prevented. And one of the surest ways of preventing cancer and cervical cancer, for that matter, is getting yourself vaccinated with the HPV vaccine or the human papillomavirus vaccine, which we are about to roll out for our girls, children between the ages of 9 and 14 years in the municipality. So one of the surest ways is getting yourself vaccinated.
“Another way is also to avoid risky behaviour, such as risky sexual behaviours like having multiple sexual partners. We’re encouraging all caregivers, especially caregivers of children between the ages of 9 and 14 years, to allow their children to be vaccinated against this dreadful disease that we are calling cervical cancer. The vaccine is safe, effective and free.
“Our nurses will move from school to school to vaccinate all schoolgirls between the ages of 9 and 14 years so that we can end this cancer, we can prevent this cancer among our women.”
Source:Lovinghananews.com
