6,561 die of cervical cancer a year

Every year some 12,931 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the country while number of deaths due to the disease are 6,561, experts said at the launching ceremony of the 'Pilot programme for prevention of cervical cancer by HPV vaccination in Bangladesh' at a city hotel yesterday.
The experts also informed that everyday 18 women die of cervical cancer and 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer are associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 16 or 18.
Vaccination against key HPV strains offers an opportunity for primary prevention, they added.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) organised the programme sponsored by Grameenphone Ltd.
Health and Family Welfare Adviser Dr AMM Shawkat Ali was present at the programme as the chief guest while Health Secretary AMM Nasiruddin, DGHS Director General M Abul Faiz, BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Nazrul Islam and Grameenphone Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director Khalid Hasan were present as special guests.
Prof Emeritus ABMF Karim of Vrije University, Amsterdam and chairman of the Oncology Club chaired the programme.
The pilot vaccination programme has been taken to prevent the incidence of cervical cancer among economically disadvantaged young women.
Ten young women were vaccinated with the HPV vaccine at the end of the inaugural ceremony. Further 50 will be vaccinated today at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of BSMMU, speakers said.
“A cancer control strategy has been prepared and a taskforce is formed in this regard. The terms and conditions of the taskforce has already been sent to district level,” Prof Abul Faiz informed at the programme.