Free Screening For Cervical Cancer At VSMMC In May

Women are urged to avail of the free screening for cervical cancer at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) this month as part of the government’s services in celebration of May as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Dr. Anessa Patindol, medical officer III of Department of Health (DOH-7) during the recent AGIO-PIA7 forum that featured the celebration, said the free screening tests and pap smear or the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), are done for early detection of the disease.

High risk groups identified are those with multiple sexual partners, early sexual intercourse, multiple pregnancies, HIV infection, and smoking as well as failure to undergo pap smear screening.

Pap smear screening should be done three years after first physical contact and every year thereafter.

Dr. Pherdes Galbo, coordinator of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) – Cebu Chapter, said cervical cancer is caused by an infection of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and is transmitted through sexual contact.

Galbo said cervical cancer is asymptomatic and usually symptoms surface five years after contracting the virus or during the advance stage of the disease.

There is, however, no accurate data on the incidence of cervical cancer cases in the country.

But in 2008, data showed cervical cancer cases in the Philippines was at 4,544 with 5.3 percent mortality rate and 1,856 annual deaths, said Galbo.

But Galbo believes the number of cases is rising as those afflicted are getting younger at 21 years of age.

“Before, those usually afflicted with cervical cancer have an age range between 40 to 60 years old. But now, the age range is getting younger between 21 to 35 years old,” he said.

POGS-Cebu is pushing for the inclusion of cervical cancer education in the academe due to the rising incidence.

Regular lectures are also being conducted by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) to municipal and barangay health workers about cervical cancer as part of their community health development.

Patindol, meanwhile, invited the public to join the ‘Lantern Walk’ on Saturday, May 7, which is an activity to raise awareness on cervical cancer.

The walk is scheduled at 5:00 in the afternoon from Fuente Osmeña to Capitol Grounds.

An allocation of P500,000 each to VSMMC and the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Bohol is provided by DOH-7 for the VIA training of municipal health officers, said Patindol. (rmn/fcr/PIA7)