Eritrea: Campaign to raise students’ awareness on cervical cancer

A lecture on the causes, consequences, and prevention of cervical cancer was conducted on February 17 for junior and secondary school students in the Central Region in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Education.

During the lecture conducted at the Orrota Referral Hospital’s hall, Mr. Efrem Zebay, Head of Fertility Unit at the Ministry of Health, said that cervical cancer develops gradually and can be treated if detected early, adding that 99 percent of the causes are unprotected sex.

Additionally, Mr. Efrem pointed out that cervical cancer often presents no early symptoms and can take up to 20 years to develop into cancer, with abnormal bleeding being a common indicator at an advanced stage.

Mr. Amanuel Ghermatsion, Head of Communication and Training at the Ministry of Health, urged students to grasp the importance of the lecture and enhance their knowledge to help eradicate the causes of cervical cancer. He emphasized the significance of students’ participation in vaccination programs aimed at prevention.

During the event, a general knowledge competition was conducted among 14 secondary schools in Asmara.

Meanwhile, a seminar was given to the residents of the Eda’ga-Hamus sub-zone by members of Hazhaz Regional Referral Hospital and Eda’ga-Hamus Community Hospital on February 17 to raise public awareness about health services.

In the seminar, reports regarding the hospitals’ activities in 2023, their modern equipment and professional capacities, as well as the prevalence of diseases and other pertinent issues from the previous year, were presented.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.