Women over the age of 38 are urged to undergo frequent pap test or pap smear screening to help prevent cancer of the cervix, said Dr Hjh Budi Rusitawati binte Haji Budi Ismardi during the opening of a two-day road show in the effort to spread awareness on cervical cancer in the Belait District.
In her welcoming remarks, she highlighted that by undergoing a pap smear test at least once in three years, it will be able to detect pre-cancerous changes which could be treated before they turn into cervical cancer. She called for women over the age of 38 to register themselves at the Women’s Health Clinic at their respective health centres and undergo the health test at the centre’s outpatient section as cervical cancer is most prevalent in women from that age.
The road show which took place at Soon Lee Megamart building in Kampong Pandan Kuala Belait to mark the Cervical Cancer Awareness month is held following the launching by the Minister of Health on November 3.
Similar road shows were also carried out earlier in the Brunei-Muara and Tutong Districts and the final one is scheduled to take place in Temburong District on November 26.
Dr Hjh Budi, the event’s chairperson said that the road show and exhibition are held to provide information on cervical cancer and to spread the knowledge so that cervical cancer can be detected and treated at an early stage. In addition to that, the road show allows the Health Services department to promote the Women’s Health Clinic which has been introduced several years ago.
“Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide after breast cancer. And all women who are sexually active are at risk despite their age,” she said.
“About 500,000 cervical cancer cases are reported annually worldwide and 80 per cent of the total cases are detected in well-developed countries.”
Dr Hjh Budi noted that Brunei Darussalam also experienced the same situation where cases of cervical cancer is on the rise with 24 cases in 2006 compared to 16 cases in 2003.
“Majority of the cases are detected at critical stage which is at stage two and above and more than 50 per cent of the cases detected in 2006 occurred among women who have never or failed to undergo the pap smear screening test,” she said.
In order to be free from cervical cancer, all women should responsibly undergo pap smear screening more frequently, she noted. Attending as guest of honour to launch the road show was the wife to the Belait Assistant District Officer, Hajah Fauziah binte Haji Mohammad Hassan.
At the launching and road show, pamphlets and leaflets containing information on cervical cancer were distributed to guests and exhibitions with posters providing descriptive details and pictures relating to the illness were made available for public viewing.
Other activities lined up during the day included a health exhibition, a demonstration on pap smear preparation, women’s clinic exhibition, laboratory exhibition and a quiz. The road show in the Belait District comes to a close today.
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