AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) through its Gynaecology Clinic is conducting a free cervical cancer screening to women on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a move that aims at detecting cervical cancer at early stages.
A press statement released yesterday by BMH Communication and Public Relations Unit noted that the initiative at BMH had been funded by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children since last year.
“So far, 96 women have undergone cervical cancer screening at BMH since the hospital embarked on the initiative last year.
The response is still low among many women in the Central Zone,” reads part of the statement quoting Ms Mary Ngowi, a nurse responsible for cervical cancer screening at BMH.
She said the response of women to show up at the hospital’s Gynaecology Clinic for cervical cancer screening was still very low, urging women in Dodoma and neighbouring regions to utilise the free exercise to know their health status.
Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women with an estimated 570,000 new cases in 2018 representing 6.6 per cent of all female cancers with approximately 90 per cent of deaths from cervical cancer occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to WHO.
The statement said screening aimed at detecting precancerous changes, which, if not treated, might lead to cancer. Women who are found to have abnormalities on screening need a follow-up, diagnosis and treatment to prevent the development of cancer or to treat cancer at an early stage.
According to the statement, symptoms of cervical cancer may include: irregular, intermenstrual (between periods) or abnormal vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse, back, leg or pelvic pain, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, vaginal discomfort or odorous discharge; and a single swollen leg.
The statement further noted that more severe symptoms might arise at advanced stages.
WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary healthcare in low resource settings has guidelines on assessment and referral for women with suspected cervical cancer in the primary care setting.
