24 Apr 2018

Palapye Primary Hospital has opened a cancer screening clinic for women to help with early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Known as the ‘See and Treat’ clinic, it operates weekdays and assists women between the ages of 30 and 49.

Palapye Primary Hospital public relations officer, Ms Mpho Modibedi said in an interview that all eligible women should visit the facility for cancer screening.

Since HIV positive women are at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer, Ms Modibedi said they were also encouraged to utilise the facility.

This, she said would help in early diagnosis, hence early treatment of the pre-cancerous lesions if identified during screening.

In the ‘See and Treat’ programme, women are screened and treated for pre-cancerous lesion before developing into a fully blown cancer, which is often more challenging to treat.

This screening test known as the Visual Inspection of the Cervix using acetic acid (VIA) involves the application of vinegar to the cervix, which helps reveal the pre-cancerous lesions, hence allowing institution of treatment as appropriate.

Ms Modibedi said in the event where the lesion had already developed into cancer, the patient would be referred to a place where she would receive treatment for cancer, which might be radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery.

Ms Modibedi said though preventable, cervical cancer continued to claim many lives.

Early screening of sexually active women, diagnosis, treatment and appropriate referral, she said could help address the problem of rising cancer cases in the country.

‘See and Treat’ does not replace Pap Smear, as such the hospital continues to administer pap smear. BOPA