It has emerged that cervical cancer for the past few years has been the second common cause of deaths in women in Ghana after breast cancer. Cervical cancer is a cancerous infection that is observed on the lower narrow opening of the uterus.

This condition usually has no visible symptoms hence may be present but women may not be aware of its presence.

Analysts at the World Health Organization (WHO) have anticipated that by 2025, there will be around 5007 new cases of cervical cancer growth and 3361 deaths every year in Ghana.

The aggregate risk of a woman dying from cervical cancer is about three times worldwide combined risk.

Proffer Aid International is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing health problems within the Ghanaian community. As part of efforts to providing health education and solution to health-based problems, the organisation is carrying out a health project dubbed 'Beware' in Ghana, to caution individuals on health issues through awareness, education, and screening.

On December 28, 2019, the official launch of the project was held at Accra College of Education Community Library.

The motive of the initiative is to create more awareness through digital platforms to increase the uptake of the screening exercise.

Cervical cancer is highly preventable when detected early.

The General Secretary for the organisation, Daniel Forson, disclosed that the organisation intends to raise funds and screen 2000 women within February 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020.

"With the use of our screening coupon, women can walk to any Marie Stopes Ghana centre across the country and Greater Accra Regional Hospital Female Reproductive Center for a free cervical cancer test," he said.

He added that many of the studies on cancer awareness have focused on breast cancer awareness with little attention to cervical cancer among women.

And it is expected that awareness and knowledge of cancer of the cervix among young female adults will influence their willingness to screen and young girls vaccinated. It will help to reduce cervical cancer developing.

Dr Gloria Acheampim Ansong, a Lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Ghana said that early stages of cervical cancer may be completely symptom-free; however, every sexually active woman is at a high risk of being affected even if the woman is married. Women who have more than one sexual partner or husband having other sexual partners aside from their wives stand a higher risk of transferring it from other women to their wives.

Also, young girls who started having sex or got introduced to sex at an early age stand a higher chance of getting cervical cancer.

Women who smoke are the number one people who can contract this type of cancer aside from sexual means.

“The exact relation between smoking and cervical cancer is not clear, but it’s been found out that women that smoke stand a high risk of developing this type of cancer,” she added.

The Project Coordinator, Emmanuel Akorful said, "now that the project is officially launched, we will work tirelessly to ensure the aim is achieved."

The estimates of cervical cancer are quite alarming and therefore concerted and collaborative efforts would be needed from all stakeholders if the disease burden is to reduce.

The launch of the project was supported by Touch Heart Global, Initiative for Social Change, Warm Heart, Glam kwim_gh and refreshment provided by Blue Skies Foundation.