Health authorities are taking further steps to encourage women in Antigua and Barbuda to get tested for human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
In addition to offering weekend testing on Saturdays and Sundays at the Glanvilles and Villa Polyclinics, they are now heading directly into communities to educate residents about the process.
Non-Communicable Diseases Coordinator Nurse Valarie Williams hopes more women will participate in the pilot exercise.
“For some women, they think it’s an invasive procedure but it is just like you’re doing your regular pap smear so that is something most of our women are accustomed to. For others, they were saying it was the time, hence the reason why we are doing it at the weekend,” she said.
Nurse Williams said medics were striving to raise awareness of the project.
“Yesterday we were at Glanvilles and because it was a little slow, we decided to take a walk in the community and go door to door to get the women to come out. Some of the ladies were saying that they never heard of the programme and didn’t know anything about it,” she said.
Health officials aim to test hundreds of women in the coming weeks and Williams said her team is committed to the task, given the seriousness of cervical cancer which is the fourth most common cancer among women globally.
“We are willing to do what we have to do and go where we have to go because, at the end of the day, the lives of our women will be impacted. Their families and even the government purse will be impacted,” she said.
Nurse Williams said the “I don’t want to know” factor is also an obstacle to the team’s work.
“Some women have been telling us they don’t want to know if they test positive for human papilloma. In this case, if we know you have a positive we know the treatment you need so that we can offer you the treatment so that you don’t have to go on and develop cancer of the cervix,” she said.
HPV is a common infection spread through sex. Only high-risk forms of the virus can progress to cervical cancer.
There are over 100 types of HPV, including strains that cause warts on the hands, feet and face. Around 30 strains can affect the genitals, as well as the rectum and anus.
About The Author
