By
Claro A. Lanipa
PAGADIAN CITY – “Statistics show that 12 Filipino women die every day
because of cervical cancer,” Dr. Guadalupe T. Ramiso reported
on Tuesday, in a stakeholders meeting on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) held at
Mardale Hotel here.
Dr.
Ramiso further disclosed that 6,000 Filipino women are diagnosed with cervical
cancer annually and 4,395 of them die from the disease. In a recent survey,
this disease ranks second as the most frequent cancer affecting women 15-44
years old.Breast cancer ranks first.
“Practically
all cervical cancers are caused by some type of human papillomavirus (HPV)
infection,” she said.
The
United States Centers for Diseases Control (US CDC) reports that women will get at least one HPV infection in
their lifetime and 75 percent of
invasive cervical cancers are attributed to the so-called HPVs 16 or 18
types that accounts for more than 10 percent of cervical cancers worldwide.
Asked
who may be affected by cervical cancer, Ramiso said this ailment affects women
in their 40s-50s and rarely in women under 30 years of age.
On
the other hand, the Young Adult Fertility and
Sexuality Survey of 2013 reveals
that 1 of 3 Filipino youth engage in premarital sex and majority are
males than females. Females as young as 15 years old have begun childbearing,
the survey further showed.
Since
cervical cancer remains a public health concern that threatens the welfare and
well-being of women and the population as well,the Department of Health (DOH)
will administer the conduct of HPV vaccination this month of October until
November, 2015, to all grade 4 pupils (girls only) aged 9-10 years old in all
priority provinces nationwide which include Zamboanga del Sur in Region 9.
HPV
vaccination is most effective when given during childhood or adolescence or
before sexual debut, when HPV infection is nil or at its lowest. This is also
ideal because the immune system is at its strongest and, therefore, will mount
a robust response tothe vaccine.
