LA TRINDAD, Benguet (PIA) -- At least 100 women from the different barangays of La Trinidad was reached out by providing information and awareness on cervical cancer and human papillomavirus.
 
The local government of La Trinidad thru the Municipal Health Services Office, in partnership with the Benguet Provincial Health Office, conducted Cervical Cancer Screening and Human Papillomavirus Awareness program at the municipal gymnasium on Wednesday (August 17) to raise awareness on cervical cancer among the target population and to cascade cervical cancer prevention and detection to the grassroots level.
 
La Trinidad MHSO Medical Officer III Dr. Genevieve Degay said that the activity provided basic information on cervical cancer and the HPV, stressing on the prevention and detection of the disease to the women participants aged 30 to 49 identified by coordinators and midwives in the different barangays.

In the Philippines, Cervical Cancer is the second leading cancer among women. An estimated 7,277 new cases of, and 3,807 deaths due to cervical cancer are expected to occur every year. HPV infection causes more than 99 percent of cervical cancer cases among women.

Degay said that generally, all women who have had sexual intercourse are at risk of cervix cancer. In recent studies, there had been overwhelming evidence that an infectious agent particularly human papiloma virus that is transmitted through sexual intercourse causes cancer of the cervix.
 
She explained that cervical cancer is among the curable cancer particularly if diagnosed in its early stage.  Thru early detection, women will receive treatment and will not lead to severe conditions.

 
Dr. Gayle Contero from the Benguet PHO lectured on the Scale Up Cervical Cancer Elimination Secondary Prevention Strategy or the SUCCESS Project.
 
Participants were then provided with self-collection kits and they collected samples onsite for laboratory testing thru the PHO.

This was the first time that self-collection test was conducted in La Trinidad.  The usual testing being conducted at the municipal health offices is the pap smear collection.

Degay said the La Trinidad MHSO will also  cascade the activity to the different barangays and  self-collection test among women  will be conducted once kits will be available at the rural health unit.(JDP/ RMC- PIA CAR)