The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry will introduce a new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. The vaccine which will be introduced with World Health Organisation (WHO) approval, is to be included in the national immunization program, Ministry sources said.

The sources said married Sri Lankan women above the age of 40 show a trend to develop cervical cancer.

Eight hundred and eighty one patients were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2005.

Cervical cancer is a type of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and it is caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Only married women and women who have sex get affected by this. Cervical cancer can spread from one affected woman to another through a male, the sources said.

According to sources the best way to prevent this disease is undergoing a pap smear test once every three years. Cervical cancer can be completely cured only if diagnosed at the earliest stage. All state hospitals offer the test free of charge.

Courtesy: DailyNews

Posted on Saturday, January 09, 2010 @ 09:23:29 LKT by SaNDun

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