The wife of the governor of Niger, Dr. Amina Bello, has suggested that 70 per cent of women between 35 years and 45 years old should undergo cervical cancer training.

She made the suggestion during a town hall meeting with stakeholders and other governors’ wives on cancer prevention in Minna.

Bello also observed that most women detected to have cervical cancer ought to have been treated by 2030.

Bello, the Founder of RAISE Foundation, therefore, urged all tiers of government to adopt the World Health Organisation (WHO) strategy to eliminate cervical cancer among women.

She noted that the strategy which was inaugurated in 2020, was a global action towards the elimination of cervical cancer to achieve less than four new cases per 100,000 women.

“This strategy rests on prevention through vaccination, screening, and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, treatment and palliative care for invasive cervical cancer.

“Cervical cancer can be prevented if it is detected at an early stage and if Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is prevented with early screening and vaccination,” she said.

The wife of the governor noted that 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases were caused by HPV which was a sexually transmitted virus.

According to her, HPV can be eliminated through full vaccination of most girls between the ages of 9 years and 15 years.

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She said that the foundation would also inaugurate the screening of 5,000 women for HPV tests with support from partners.

Dr. Muhammad Makusidi, the state Commissioner for Health, said that most females above 15 years of age could be at risk of cervical cancer