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Cervical Cancer Awareness Month: Common cancer can be prevented

27 September 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo iStock

Cervical cancer awareness ribbon — Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed in September in South Africa to encourage women to go for screening to prevent it.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in South Africa, and many die from it each year – but it can be prevented.

According to Dr Arina Meyer, medical practitioner in Kovsie Health at the University of the Free State, this is one of the reasons why it is important to be informed, take precautions, and raise awareness about the disease.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed in September in South Africa with the aim of encouraging women to go for screening to prevent it.

Although medical statistics paint a bleak picture, Meyer says there is hope. “It is important to know that cervical cancer can be prevented. And when it is diagnosed early, it can be treated.”

Statistics and causes

According to her, figures show the occurrence of cervical cancer to be between 22,8 and 27 per 100 000 women in South Africa.

“More than 5 700 new cases are reported each year, as well as more than 3 000 deaths. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer – after skin cancer – in South Africa.”

Meyer says when one look at these numbers, it is important to commemorate Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, as women need to be informed about their annual check-up, possible symptoms, and signs of the cancer.

Most cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual contact. Therefore, the HPV is seen as a sexually transmitted disease.

“There are different types of HPV. Some cause cervical cancer and other genital warts. One can develop one or both conditions, depending on the type of virus you have,” says Meyer.

Prevention and reducing the risk

According to her, preventative action is the best method. Going for a cervical screening every year when you become sexually active, such as a Pap smear or Pap test, will help in the early detection and removal of abnormal cells.

There is also a vaccine for protection against HPV, which is available from the age of nine. Meyer says there are two vaccines in South Africa.

“By getting the vaccine early, before any sexual activity, the spread of HPV – and therefore cervical cancer – can be prevented. Up to 90% of cancers can be prevented.

“Unfortunately, if someone has already been infected by the HPV, it cannot be treated by the vaccine.”

The UFS medical practitioner says the best ways to reduce the risk of cervical cancer are to go for an annual Pap smear, a follow-up after an abnormal test result, the vaccine, safe sex, and to stop smoking.

News Archive

Faculty of Law establishes unique panel of advisors

2005-11-11

Photo: Stephen Collett

Some of the panel members who attended the Collegium Iurisprudentium of the Faculty of Law at the UFS were from the left His Honorable Judge of Appeal Lex Mpati (Vice-President of the Supreme Court of Appeal), His Honorable Judge of Appeal Joos Hefer (former Chief Justice of South Africa), His Honorable Judge of Appeal Frits Brand (Supreme Court of Appeal) and Mrs Alet Ellis (lecturer at the UFS Faculty of Law).

At the back from left were Prof Johan Henning (Dean: Faculty of Law at the UFS), His Honorable Judge Faan Hancke (High Court of the Free State and chairperson of the UFS Council) and Adv Jannie Lubbe Sc.

The Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) has established a panel of advisors comprising of all the honorary and extraordinary professors of the faculty.

“The faculty has been known for its excellent practice-orientated training as well as the involvement of law practitioners in the training of LL B-students,” said Prof Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS.

“The faculty was greatly dependent on the services of advocate lecturers, full-time members of the Bar and Side Bar who lectured on a part-time basis at the faculty. For this reason lecturing in the faculty was mainly done after-hours to part-time students,” said Prof Henning.

With the shift in emphasis to full-time lecturing and the appointment of full-time lecturers, especially because of the increasing student numbers, the full-time LL B-programme and the increasing pressure on students for quality research inputs, a greater need for meaningful contributions of judges and senior law practitioners to the faculty was experienced.

“To comply with this urgent need, three honorary professors and nine extraordinary professors were appointed. This group of experts deliver an indispensable contribution to the practice orientation of the faculty by means of formal lectures, public inaugural lectures and guest lectures, direct lectures to graduate and post-graduate students, participation in research projects and the constant evaluation of lecturers, modules and the content of modules and learning material. The international exposure of students and lecturers is also promoted by their contribution,” said Prof Henning.
“A need to have the involvement of this special class of professors structured in a more organised way was identified and a decision was made to establish an advisory panel called Collegium Iurisprudentium. It is a privilege to us that all the honorary and extraordinary professors accepted the invitation,” said Prof Henning.

The panel will provide the faculty with continuous, distinguished, practice- orientated capability and capacity as well as international expertise, not only for direct inputs to students but also to advise lecturers about the curriculum, the compilation of the content of the LL B and M module, learning material and others, as well as to strengthen the research capacity of the faculty.

“The panel will also deliver a decisive contribution to the faculty’s preparation for the constitutional audit of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council for Higher Education (CHE) that will take place in October 2006,” said Prof Henning.

The Collegium Iurisprudentium, which has been formally constituted, comprises of:

Appeal Court Judge J J F Hefer,
Appeal Court Judge L Mpati
Appeal Court Judge F D J Brand
Appeal Court Judge I G Farlam
Prof B A K Rider
Judge S P B Hancke
Judge A Kruger
Judge D H van Zyl
Adv S J Naudé
Adv J Lubbe Sc
Prof M M Katz
Prof R J Cook
Mr S van de Merwe
Mr W van der Westhuizen
Mr D C M Gihwala

Media release
Issued by:Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
11 November 2005

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