Public Health Ministry: Cervical cancer kills 14 Thai women daily

BANGKOK, May 6 (TNA) - Cervical cancer kills 14 Thai women or 5,200 annually, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Deputy Public Health Minister Cholanan Srikaew said cervical cancer was the second most common cause of illness and death among Thai working age and elderly women. He said about 27 new cases of cervical cancer was recorded each day or some 10,000 annually. According to the deputy public health minister, the main cause of the disease was human papillomavirus infection. He said the ministry planned to protect people from the disease with Pap smear and visual inspection with acetic acid tests among women. He said if the tests could be conducted on 80 percent of Thai women or about 17 persons, deaths from cervical cancer would drop by 61 percent. (TNA)