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Stagnant rain water increases risk of Typhoid infections

Cervical Cancer Workshop held for Health Journalists

Karachi: May 7, 2010 - A workshop on Cervical Cancer was organized at the Karachi Press Club here on Thursday. The purpose of the conference was to highlight the risks and prevalence of Cervical Cancer locally and globally.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer. Globally it is responsible for the death of a woman every two minutes. Due to low awareness, lack of screening facilities, and no established cervical cancer vaccination program, an estimated 80% of Cervical Cancer deaths occur in developing countries. It is important to highlight, that this cancer can actually be prevented through vaccination.

While addressing the conference, Professor Sadiah Ahsan Pal, gynecologist and consultant obstetrician at OMI hospital Karachi stated that, "cervical cancer is the cancerous tumor of the cervix and is a life threatening condition. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a common virus infection called human papilloma virus or HPV. The risk of cervical cancer begins with sexual debut and lasts throughout a woman's lifetime. HPV is transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact. She said that most women who die from cervical cancer are in the prime of their life, and at a time when they bear major family and economic responsibility.

Unlike under-developed countries, in developed countries, there is a high level of awareness about cervical cancer. Currently, screening (a PAP smear test) is the principal method of detecting cervical cancer. Women in developed countries routinely go for screening tests which results in the timely identification of abnormal cell growth in the cervix. These regular screening programs have contributed substantially in the decline in incidences and deaths from cervical cancer in developed countries.

Professor Yasmin Bhurgri, member of Pakistan Cancer Registry, and a leading researcher, stated that in Pakistan there is a cause of concern, related to a gradually increasing incidence of cervical cancer, especially in younger women.

Dr. Bhurgri said that this cancer can only be prevented through vaccination which should be provided to every woman before she gets married. The unvaccinated young women face dangerously higher risks of contracting cervical cancer. It is time to give the utmost importance to cervical cancer and to avoid preventable deaths. She said that it is the government's responsibility to increase awareness and make the vaccine easily available for the common woman.


Experts Demand Availability Of Preventive Interventions For Cervical Cancer


Karachi: February 4, 2010 - Experts stressed the need for government and NGOs for a committed and consistent effort to enhance awareness about cancer and to make preventive interventions accessible to the masses. They demanded that the second most fatal cancer amongst women, cervical cancer, can easily be prevented through vaccination. The views were shared at the press conference titled "inroads into the world of cervical cancer prevention" was held as a prelude to the 13th biennial scientific conference organized by Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologist of Pakistan.

Professor Yasmin Bhurgri, Pathologist at Liaquat National Medical College Hospital informed the audiences about the latest trends in reported cancer cases. "Since 1995 we have been collecting data and in almost all the cancer malignancies we are observing a rise" said Bhurgri. "In Pakistan, even with our conservative society, we are seeing a gradual rise in cervical cancer malignancies especially in younger females" added Bhurgri.

In addition to neglect and unawareness she attributed this incline to lack of will and infrastructure to protect women from this malicious disease. "There seems to be no desire or intent to implement cervical cancer vaccination at the population level, despite GAVI eligibility" lamented Bhurgri. GAVI is an international organization which facilitates immunization programs in developing countries.

"The unvaccinated little girls of today, in the future would face dismally higher risks of cervical cancer, much higher than the risks their mothers are facing or the risks their grandmothers faced" warned Bhurgri.

Earlier Professor Arif Tajjamal of Jinnah Hospital Lahore briefed the audiences about cervical cancer and association of, an easily transmitted, Human Papilloma virus or HPV with the illness. Cervical cancer is the cancerous tumor of the cervix and is a life-threatening condition. "The risks of cervical cancer begin with sexual debut and can last throughout a women's lifetime. Being the second most common cancer in women, globally, the disease accounts for a women dying every 2 minutes" pointed Tajjamal.

Cervical cancer is not a hereditary disease and is caused by HPV which is transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact explained Tajjamal. "An estimated 80% per cent cervical cancer fatalities occur in the developing world mainly because of 60-80 pre cent of the cases are reported at very late stages" he elaborated. Most women who die from cervical cancer are in the prime of their life, at a time when they bear major family and economic responsibilities, he grieved.

Professor Ghazala Mehmood, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad highlighted the importance of preventive interventions in preventing cervical cancer. Citing published research Mehmood said "HPV infections of the cervix, cervical cancer, are greatly under diagnosed as it causes no symptoms and spreads silently. There is no way that one can tell that they are infected until it spreads significantly".

Developed countries have reduced their cervical cancer burden by almost 70 per cent through amalgamation of screening (a PAP smear test) and vaccination in their national health plans. There women get themselves screened routinely and an abnormal result serves as an early indication of HPV infection.

"Contrary to developed countries awareness in our part of the world is close to non-existent and screening is usually under taken, if it is, too late in the day" informed Mehmood. "Screening is also not feasible in resource scarce communities as women don't dare to spend finances on their health especially on prevention" explained Mehmood.

She hailed availability of cervical cancer vaccines as a good step towards reducing the disease burden and pointed "The best time to get vaccinated is before sexual debut. Vaccination along with screening reduces the incidence of cervical cancer by 94%".

Professor Farukh Zaman of Hamid Latif Hospital Lahore discussed the social and emotional consequences of cervical cancer. Reiterating the fact that risk for cervical cancer begins with the first sexual encounter, in our culture marriage, Zaman stressed on the need to inoculate every women prior to their marriage to guard against cervical cancer. "We give a lot of importance to accessories, dresses and jewelry, its about time that we enlarge our focus and consider the things that last beyond the happiness of a single day i.e. Wedding day" stressed Zaman.

Giving example of breast cancer awareness campaigns he said "Subsequent to increased initiatives in the field of breast cancer, a sizable portion of our population is aware of its increasing incidence and complications. This awareness has led to increased screening and adoption of preventive methods". Zaman demanded that its time the 2nd most common form of cancer amongst women be given due importance to help prevent fatalities. "Cervical cancer is preventable through proper vaccination so I feel it's a great injustice to let even single women die of an illness which a simple interventions such as vaccine could have prevented" advocated Zaman.