LAGOS, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, are planning to establish an endometriosis center in the state, said Akin Abayomi, health commissioner of Lagos State, on Thursday.

       The center will promote management and awareness of the condition, in which uterine tissue grows outside the uterus and causes painful periods and bleeding, he told a symposium in Lagos on the disease.

       The disorder, which affects about 20 percent of Nigerian women, can cause severe pelvic pain and menstrual pain, Abayomi said, adding that the condition could lead to infertility in about 40 percent of sufferers.

       A major challenge in the management of endometriosis is its diagnosis and treatment, he said.

       Endometriosis is often treated through surgical intervention, Abayomi added.

       He said developed countries have modernized their ultrasound and imaging approaches for easy diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, but such approaches are not readily available in Nigeria.