JOHOR BARU, Dec 21 — A total of 70 policewomen in three states have been diagnosed with the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is one of the main causes of cervical cancer in women.
Bukit Aman Corporate Communications head Datuk Asmawati Ahmad said the statistics were a result of the screening conducted on 918 policewomen through the Frontliner Uniting Against Cervical Cancer Programme for police personnel since June last year.
“The programme has so far been held at the Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur and Terengganu police contingent headquarters and will be expanded nationwide.
“Most of those infected with the HPV virus do not know that they have it and some have expressed shock at their results.
“This programme actually assists their prevention and treatment measures. It is held for the welfare of the police as until now three policewomen have died due to cervical cancer and 10 people have now been diagnosed with the cancer,” said Asmawati.
She said this to reporters after the Frontliner Uniting Against Cervical Cancer Programme at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.
The programme was officiated by Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
Asmawati said the programme was held with the ROSE Foundation which aims to give awareness to women about the importance of conducting early screening in preventing cervical cancer.
Ayob Khan said the two-day programme will begin today at the Johor police contingent headquarters and will take part.
“I strongly encourage all women of the Johor Police to take this opportunity to take the examination to ensure they are free from the disease,” he said.
HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active women and men will be infected at some point in their lives and some may be repeatedly infected.
Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributable to HPV infection.
The ROSE Foundation programme has screened 8,000 low-income women throughout Malaysia after its launch in January last year.
The ROSE Foundation and Laboratory, located at UMXcelerate complex at the Universiti Malaya campus, are a partnership between the public university and Australia’s VCS Foundation, a cancer prevention non-profit.
