Each Dutch woman over thirty is familiar with it: the smear … It is an important method for early cervical cancer diagnosis. Due to lack of adequately equipped laboratories in the tropics, a smear can often not be made. The consequences are sad and deadly. Cancer is discovered at a late stage, because women are obviously only coming to hospital when they get symptoms.
Fortunately there is another method of screening that can be used in the tropics. This is what I have taught to the staff in Bongolo Hospital. It is called the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA). It is proven effective, not expensive, and can easily be included in a routine examination. After the presentation we had a meaningful discussion and further thought is done on how to implement it in the hospital. Hopefully cervical cancer can now more quickly be discovered, and lives saved!
Click here to download the PowerPoint.
