“A silent disease that is taking the lives of thousands of women… Sunita’s story opened my eyes”

highlights

• cervical cancer It is becoming a major cause of death for women in India.
• The story of 40-year-old Sunita from Uttar Pradesh highlighted the danger of this disease.
• According to experts, cervical cancer can be prevented with timely screening and HPV vaccine.
• Australia is moving towards becoming the first country in the world to virtually eliminate this disease.
• HPV vaccination and awareness campaigns are now being intensified in India too.

Story of a mother who warned

Sunita, 40, from Uttar Pradesh was an ordinary Indian woman who lived to provide for her family. Amidst household responsibilities, children’s education and everyday problems, he always kept his health on the back burner.

He was feeling constantly tired for a few months. Besides this, abnormal bleeding also started. But Sunita ignored it considering it to be a common problem among women.

When the pain became unbearable she finally reached the hospital. What the doctors told after examination was no less than a shock for his family – he was diagnosed with advanced stage. cervical cancer Was.

The disease had spread so much that the possibilities of treatment were very limited. After a few months of treatment and struggle, Sunita said goodbye to this world and left behind two small children.

His painful story is a warning to thousands of families even today.

Why is cervical cancer becoming dangerous in India?

Millions of women every year in India cervical cancer Are victims of. According to world health experts, it is one of the most common cancers in women.

Many reasons account for this:

1. Lack of awareness

Women in rural and semi-urban areas cervical cancer Are not able to understand the initial symptoms.

2. Insistence and social barriers

Many women hesitate to visit a gynecologist. as a result cervical cancer It is detected very late.

3. Not getting tested on time

If investigation is done at early stage then cervical cancer Treatment is possible, but in most cases the diagnosis is late.

4. Lack of vaccination

Availability and information about HPV vaccine has still not reached every part of the country.

What is cervical cancer?

The disease starts with HPV virus

in most cases cervical cancer The cause is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

This virus is spread through sexual contact and sometimes exists in the body without symptoms for years. the same infection later cervical cancer Can take the form of.

early symptoms

Doctors say that if these signs are not ignored, cervical cancer Timely treatment is possible:

• abnormal vaginal bleeding
• persistent pain in the waist or stomach
• bleeding after intercourse
• extreme fatigue

But the problem is that most of the women ignore these signs considering them as normal problems.

Australia became an example of hope

where in many countries cervical cancer While there is still a big problem, Australia has come close to eliminating this disease.

HPV vaccine in schools

Australia launched a national HPV vaccination program in 2007.

• Children aged 12–13 years are given free vaccine in schools only.
• This vaccine is given to both boys and girls
• Vaccination rate exceeds 80%

due to this cervical cancer There has been a rapid decline in cases.

new screening technology

In 2017, Australia introduced HPV-based screening to replace the traditional Pap smear test.

This test is more accurate and only needs to be done once every five years. This step cervical cancer Further strengthened the prevention.

Can cervical cancer really be eradicated?

According to scientists, eliminating a disease does not mean that its cases become absolutely zero.

When there are fewer than four cases per 100,000 people, the disease is considered effectively eliminated.

currently in australia cervical cancer About 6.3 cases of HIV are being recorded per lakh women and it is estimated that by 2035 this figure may fall below the target.

New initiative started in India also

in india cervical cancer Now a new strategy is being made against.

Indigenous vaccine Cervavac

India has recently developed its first indigenous HPV vaccine “Cervavac”.

From this cervical cancer The price of the vaccine to prevent this has reduced considerably.

vaccination for adolescent girls

The government is working on a plan to vaccinate girls aged 9 to 14 years with HPV.

Experts believe that if this vaccine is given at the right age, cervical cancer The danger may almost be eliminated.

awareness campaign

Ministry of Health and many NGOs in rural areas cervical cancer Trying to raise awareness about.

what experts say

Gynecologists say that cervical cancer It is one of the rare cancers that is almost completely preventable.

For this three steps are very important:

1. HPV vaccine
2. routine checkup
3. Do not ignore the early symptoms

If these three measures are adopted cervical cancer Lives of thousands of women can be saved.

hope for the coming generation

Today many women like Sunita have paid the price of this disease with their lives.

But due to the progress of medical science and vaccination campaigns, there is hope that the coming generations will cervical cancer Will be able to live a life free from it.

If awareness, vaccination and regular testing are given priority, the day is not far when cervical cancer It will remain a disease recorded in the history books.