Malawi women put a vaginal ring on it,does not cause cervical cancer – Experts

Health researchers working for the University of North Carolina (UNC) have dismissed allegations that treated  virginal ring can cause cervical cancer to women but they can get  slightly 71 percent protection from HIV infections resulting from unprotected sex.

Microbicide virginal ring is a medical device containing ARV aimed to reduce the risk of HIV transmission to women, the product was introduced by The International Partnership for Microbicide (IPM).

It offers women the ease to insert the treated ring in the cervix before sexual intercourse with minimal chances to be infected or detected by their partners, researchers say.

Speaking on Tuesday during a one day microbicide ring study dissemination meeting conducted by Journalists association against Aids (JournAid) in Mchinji, Tchangani Tembo a health researcher at UNC says according to research (clinical trial) done in 2012 to 2016, the findings showed that the ring is safe for women to use and does not cause cervical cancer.

Tembo lamented that during the clinical trial, at least 2600 women across the world were enrolled and in Malawi 300 women were on trial and were found cervical cancer negative.

“Clinical trials have shown that the ring does not have any effect on the woman or cause cervical cancer. We really want to inform the general public on these results, a civil society organisation, we want to make sure that everybody knows that this upcoming product will reduce the HIV transmission to women,” he said.

He said the product has been submitted to relevant authorities for approval like Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency.

“After these approvals are made, Malawi government has to acknowledge that the product can indeed be used by Malawians,” he said.

Meanwhile Program Manager for (JournAid), Dingani Mithi says the organisation has started campaigns in disseminating messages concerning the upcoming virginal ring to the general public.

Mithi therefore asked civil society organisations to start sensitizing communities about microbicide ring which is expected to rollout soon after approvals by relevant authorities.