EDITORIAL - Awareness and prevention

As the Philippines observes the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, it is disheartening to note that many women in the country remain uninformed about how the dreaded disease can be prevented.

In Cebu alone, for instance, local health authorities have expressed alarm over the increasing number of those afflicted with cervical cancer, largely blaming the lack of awareness among women.   

Dr. Marybeth de los Santos of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center said that, in a month, the hospital has recorded at least three to five women being confined for advance stages of cervical cancer.

Aside from the lack of awareness, modern lifestyle also contributes to the rising number of cases of cervical cancer. Therefore, women should be aware that smoking and having multiple sexual partners are just two of the contributing factors.

While the disease can be prevented, De los Santos blames the lack of knowledge about the "primary and secondary preventions."

The primary prevention, according to De los Santos, is through a vaccine. The problem, however, is that not all women can avail of the anti-cervical cancer vaccine because it is quite expensive.

But then there's the secondary prevention, which is the annual cervical screening for adult women. Affordable to all women, regular examination is obviously the best preventable option for them against the disease.

Despite the many preventive measures, fighting cervical cancer seems to be a tall order for health authorities. That is because many women, especially those in far-flung areas, remain largely unaware of the disease and its preventions.

So there is really a need for thorough information dissemination because every woman is highly vulnerable. As we observe the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, it is very important for all stakeholders to unite against one of the most common enemies of women.