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Health Ministry getting help to improve women’s health care
From left, Dr. Kavita Singh, Coordinator of Chronic Disease; Dr. Karen Boyle, Deputy Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Carl Niamatali; Professor Chittaranjan Narahari Purandare; Dr. George Norton, Minister of Public Health; Sarah Daniels, Senior Medex and Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director (ag) Maternal Child Health Programme.
Reducing maternal mortality and cervical cancer are among the areas that the Public Health Ministry is expected to get additional support.
This assurance was given during a meeting between Professor Chittaranjan Narahari Purandare and Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, yesterday at his Brickdam, Georgetown office.
Professor Purandare is the President of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
FIGO is an organization that brings together professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists on a global basis.
For over 60 years, this organisation has been collaborating with the world’s top health and donor bodies in developing countries to strengthen capacity through education and specialized training on various women’s health issues. The organisation actively collaborates with global, national and regional organisations to promote the wellbeing of women, and to raise the standards of practice in obstetrics and gynecology such as oncology, perinatal health, and safe motherhood.
Professor Purandare yesterday assured Minister Norton that he will avail his organization’s resources to help enhance Guyana’s public health care system.
For this the Minister expressed gratitude even as he applauded Professor Purandare’s interest in wanting to collaborate with Guyana. He noted too, that he is looking forward to future collaborations with FIGO to advance the health of Guyanese women, particularly in reducing maternal mortality and cervical cancer.
The Ministry of Public Health has sought assistance in improving existing protocols to screen women for cervical cancer and family planning policies and methods, such as IUD’s and injectable contraceptives. The Ministry and the FIGO are also hoping to collaborate with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) in developing a National Plan to reduce cervical cancer in Guyana.
Currently, the Ministry offers free Visual Inspection using Acetic Acid (VIA) screening for cervical cancer and cryogenic treatment for persons who are detected with cancerous lesions.
The second leading cause of cancer deaths recorded by the Ministry is cervical cancer. This is according to the 2015 Cancer Surveillance Report which was unveiled by the Ministry last year. The report contains the state of cancers in Guyana over a 10-year period and reveals that cervical cancer accounted for 1,014 deaths. As such, keen efforts are being made by the Ministry to tackle this form of cancer.
Towards this end, the Ministry also has in place a Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for all girls between the ages of 11-13 years old.
HPV can cause cervical cancer. A potential impact of contracting cervical cancer is the development of other health conditions such as genital warts and even cancers of the anus, vagina and vulva.
The HPV vaccine can however only be effective if it reaches young girls before their onset of sexual activity. “The vaccine is to help with prevention. So once you are vaccinated with the HPV vaccine your body will develop the antibodies against the virus. If the virus does come along, your body will be able to isolate and destroy it quickly…” Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud has said.
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