HPV:A virus that mostly affects women

 

Millions of women around the world get infected by a deadly virus known as Human papillomavirus (HPV). risks of infection are high for women who are sexually active,who have many males sexual partners .It is often a man with no outward symptoms who most of time transmit HPV to their mates.In some cases women who never had intercourse before can attract the virus too.

 

a)How to determine infection.

WHO claims:”Early detection of precancerous lesions through cytological  screening has been and most probably will remain for quite some time the mainstay for global control of the disease”If you are a woman .Please go to nearest hospital and ask for a cytological screaning or a Papanicolaou(in memeory of Dr George Papanicolaou who developed the Pap Smear) smear.This can predetermine if there is lesions susceptible to cause a uterine cancer inside your reproductive organs.

b)Treatment

Some medical experts advocate for topical treatments that involve destroying infected cells.They also use the stimulation of immune system of the infected patients.Removing damaged cells using electrical surgery is also a technique to cure the virus.However,sexual education is the most effective one for the prevention of the disease as prevention of the infection is possible.Here monogamy is encouraged.Rwandan moral values are helpful in for women to not being infected.

c)Information is the key

Misinformation is among serious issues that bring people to get infected easily.Therefore providing  health news to women  is an effective weapon against HPV infection.Women in rural areas are mostly likely the ones to be infected easily as a result of ignorance and misinformation relating to poverty and lack of high education .In Rwandan context,community health workers should be acquainted with HPV news for their effective  working conditions.

Nizeyimana Jean Pierre

UM– USEKE.RW