International Women’s Day: SFH Sensitizes Women on Disease Prevention

The Society for Family Health in collaboration with the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board sensitizes women on the need to adhere to some disease preventions.

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The sensitization which took place at Ketu Primary Healthcare Centre, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State is lone of the activities of the Society for Family Health to mark the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration.

According to Ashiru Aderemi, the Reproductive Health Officer at Kosofe LGA, “There is the need for every sexually active woman to under go cervical screening in order to detect early changes in the cervix.

“Cervical screening is a test to check the health of the cervix and help prevent cervical cancer. It is advisable that every woman that is sexually active should go for cervical screening.”

She further reiterated that the screening is ongoing and the services are free. The facilities carrying out the screening in Kosofe LGA, Lagos are Ketu Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikosi-Isheri Primary Healthcare centre and Ogudu Primary Healthcare Centre.

Aderemi advised young adolescent women to go for vaccination against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

According to her, HPV is a sexually transmitted infection found most commonly among sexually active adolescent and young women. The virus is associated with so many types of cancer such as cancer of the anus, vulva, vagina and most commonly the cervix popularly referred to as cervical cancer.

“Young adolescent women ages 9- 14 should go for vaccination against HPV.

“The vaccine is now incorporated in the routine immunization for children between the ages of 9 and 14 years in Nigeria.”

The Reproductive Health expert also encouraged women especially women of reproductive age 15 – 49 years to get complete doses of Tetanus toxoid injection.

“Tetanus infection is very common and serious in newborn and pregnant mothers who have not taken the tetanus toxoid containing vaccine,” she reiterated.

Omotola Omotoso, the Social and Behavioural Changes Communication Officer on her part said that good family planning is key to healthy living among women. She educated women on different methods of family of planning including Self-inject method.

According to her the Self-inject method supports women to assume greater control over their sexual and reproductive health by using contraceptive self-care methods like Self-inject ( Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate- Subcutaneous DMPA-SC) which can help in delaying or preventing pregnancy if a woman so desired.

The International Women’s Day availed women in Kosofe LGA the opportunity to be educated on some disease prevention. Socialist Clara Zetkin advocated for women’s rights and universal suffrage in Germany in the 1870s. In 1911, her work led to the first International Women’s Day in Europe. the Day is celebrated globally on March 8, every year.