‘Did you know that cervical cancer also affects men?’- Hon Vincent O. Wheatley
“Educating males is also important to our regional strategy,” Premier Wheatley noted in his statement published today, January 12, 2024.
According to the Pan American Health Organisation, Cervical Cancer claims lives and is the leading cause of death in more than 35,000 women in the Americas.
Cervical cancer a pandemic in Region- Hon Wheatley
The majority, 80 percent or 28,000, of these cases are in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Hon Wheatley said across the world, January is recognised as cervical cancer awareness month and during this month and year he will be partnering with cervical cancer survivor Dr Arliene T. Penn as a voice/ambassador to assist the OECS in executing its strategy to eradicate cervical cancer as a pandemic in the region.
“We know that Dr. Penn is passionate about this subject, and we could not ask for a better ambassador. We thank her in advance for the work she will continue to do to bring awareness and support us in this process, as we will also support her.
Hon Wheatley said the Acting Chief Medical Officer and the team at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital will do their part by making the vaccines that prevent the Human Papilloma Virus available for males and females.
Men told to do annual checkups
“Did you know that cervical cancer also affects men?
“I strongly urge everyone to schedule an annual checkup, as early detection saves lives,” Hon Wheatley stated.
The HPV virus (human papillomavirus) is blamed for cervical cancer in women.
But according to WebMD, HPV infection can increase a man's risk of getting genital cancers, although these cancers are not common. HPV can also cause genital warts in men, just as in women.
It also said some of the types of HPV associated with genital cancers can lead to cancer of the anus or penis in men.
Alarming cancer stats in VI
US Virgin Islands-based physician Dr Erole McLean-Hobdy stated in October 2023, that more than 300 persons had been diagnosed with different types of cancer in the past three years.
Dr McLean-Hobdy revealed that myelomas, breast, prostate and colon cancers are the most popular cases in the territory.
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10 Responses to “‘Did you know that cervical cancer also affects men?’- Hon Vincent O. Wheatley”
all know years later the human beings in west end area are dieing from the smoking incinerator / that he boasted that he can take care of the problem ( with
ease ) well don't talk about the vaccines , because we know about already
And who says cervical cancer, genital warts and so on is a problem here? Just because they’re a problem in other countries does not mean it is a priority cancer in the BVI. Where are the figures?
I want to see local data. Why can’t we get BVI figures? Tell Dr. Hobdy come with the facts.