Accra, July 4, GNA - More than 500,000 women across the globe are diagnosed with cervical cancer with nearly half of them dying from the disease, Dr. Edem Hiadzi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre, said on Monday. Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect a woman's reproductive organs. Dr Hiadzi, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, noted that many of those deaths could be prevented if the Pap smear test, which is used to diagnose the disease, was accessible to women.

He said the Hospital has since its establishment been embarking on cancer awareness

to educate ladies on the need to take proper care of their private parts to prevent infection

and urged them to avoid the use of unauthorized medicines or drugs. Dr Hiadzi urged women to consult a doctor anytime they started experiencing vaginal

bleeding adding that self-medication had its effects which could jeopardise one's life. He said most women only attended hospital late after applying several medicines which

did not cure the disease. Dr Hiadzi urged medical institutions and the government to help provid= e free Pap

smear to enable them to know their status.