Health Ministry, GTT team up to battle cervical cancer in Guyana

Jan 19, 2020 News

The Chronic Diseases Unit of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) have teamed up with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) to offer free Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) screening during this month.

Health Ministry, GTT team up to battle cervical cancer in Guyana

The two organisations have collaborated to battle cervical cancer in Guyana. January is recognised worldwide as Cervical Cancer month.
The screening which is free of charge is scheduled to be carried out in ten communities, in Regions Three, Four and Five at the various health centres in the regions.
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix — the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
According to reports, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Guyana.
In an interview, National VIA Coordinator attached to the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Dr. Martin Campbell, described the initiative as a favourable one that will educate the Guyanese population more about cervical cancer.
According to Dr. Campbell since the commencing of the VIA screening in January 2019, over 60 persons in Regions Three, Four and Five have accessed the service and more persons are coming forward.
Cervical cancer is a sex specific cancer, which means only the female population can be infected. It is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
“Cervical cancer is very much preventable. We already know the cause of cervical cancer and there is an active vaccine that can prevent it.
What you must know, however, is that there are other factors apart from someone having HPV, that can contributed to women being diagnosed with cervical cancer.
These risk factors include having multiple sexual partners, being sexual active at a young age and if you are HIV positive.”
He added that if there is someone diagnosed with cervical cancer in one’s family one’s risk of being diagnosed increases.
Last Friday’s screening sessions were done at the Sophia Health Centre. The exercise was deemed a success due to the large number of persons that came out to get screened.
“I would encourage all females between the ages of 21 and 65 to get screened for cervical cancer, because in most cases persons who have been diagnosed don’t know until the last stage, since this type of cancer does not come with any major symptoms.”
In its 2018 cancer survey report, the Ministry of Public Health stated that approximately 32 in every 100,000 women in Guyana are diagnosed with cervical cancer. About half of these victims die, making cervical cancer the major cause of cancer related deaths in the country.
Throughout January, persons in Region Four can access cervical cancer screening at various health centres such as South Road Health Centre, Albouystown Health Centre, Den Amstel Health Centre and Sophia Health Centre.