Lack of adequate screening centres for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is affecting the treatment of cervical cancer, especially in rural communities in Gombe State, a Professor of Medical Microbiology, Mohammed Manga, has said.
He disclosed this in Gombe during the 2024 International HPV Awareness Day, held at the Gombe State University, to discuss various challenges around awareness and other religious barriers related to immunisation.
He said the unavailability of screening centres across rural communities, is affecting the fight against cervical cancer in the country.
Professor Manga said some states have adopted farm-to-farm initiatives, where officials visit farms to vaccinate girls, as part of deliberate efforts to resolve some of the challenges.
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“However, this can be improved on with the improvement of the healthcare system in the country. The vaccine can be taken to the villages and given to the girls, unlike treatment where you need machines and equipment,” he said.
Prof. Manga added that the government should put more effort into awareness to improve uptake in order to give the desired effect.
On her part, the Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Dr Halima Farouk, said the lack of awareness of cervical cancer among women in the state, is impeding screening and early detection of the disease.
She said more women should embrace the practice of screening, adding that by doing so, the number of deaths from cervical cancer would be reduced to the barest minimum.
Dr Halima said HPV is very common and that about 80 per cent of women carry the virus, but it doesn’t show.
“When you have the cancer-causing type for about 15 to 20 years, it will start causing changes in the cervix of the woman and cause cervical cancer; this time is enough to get your body checked. Only screening can help to detect it,” she said.
Professor AbdulRasheed Abdul-Ganiy, who gave an Islamic perspective on vaccines, said immunisation is encouraged in Islam, but decried the inadequate knowledge amongst some Islamic scholars.
“Many Muslim scholars lack understanding of what immunisation is. Until Muslim scholars are carried along, the challenge will persist. Let the scholars understand, but the problem is failure of understanding,” he said.
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