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Cancer News | Dubai |
Sunday, March 25, 2007
150 students attend cervical cancer awareness
seminar
(Dubai Health & News) Over 150 Health Education &
Health Science Foundation students at Sharjah College (SWC), part of the
Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), attended a 2 hour Seminar on
cervical cancer prevention. The Seminar was headed by Dr. Rihab Awad,
Consultant Gynecologist at The American Hospital Dubai and is part of an
Annual World Health Day initiative by students and faculty of the
Bachelor Health Education Program at SWC.
"World Health Day is a great opportunity for our students to learn
more about the latest health issues in an interactive manner. This
year's theme is 'Reduce Your Risks'", says Kim Thompson,
Coordinator, Bachelor Health Education Program, Sharjah College.
"We try to teach our students that prevention is always better than
cure. For example, many cancers are preventable and treatable if found
early. We hope to educate our students, the mothers and pioneers of the
future, on all the prevention and screening measures available to
protect them from such diseases."
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common virus that consists of over
100 strains. The much talked about strains 16 and 18, if left untreated,
are responsible for 75% of all cervical cancer cases. Strains 6 and 11
are known to cause genital warts. Cervical cancer can develop decades
after a woman has been exposed to the human papilloma virus. Worldwide,
half a million cases are diagnosed each year with approximately 650
female deaths every day, (nearly 240,000 each year). Gardasil, the
vaccine, was recently approved for use in the UAE and protects against all four strains of HPV
and genital warts. However, women
still need to have regular PAP smears, even after vaccination.
"In the UAE and also worldwide, cervical cancer is the second
highest form of cancer diagnosed among women", says Dr. Rihab Awad,
Consultant Gynecologist, The American Hospital, Dubai. "It is our
duty as doctors, health professionals, and mothers to educate women
about the risk factors of HPV and cervical cancer prevention. We live in
an age where information and knowledge is key to maintaining a healthy
and cancer-free lifestyle."
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Cancer Awareness Seminar at Sharjah
College
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Cervical
Cancer Fact Sheet
