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Privacy draws Kenyan women to new cervical cancer screening method

Health & Science

Majority of Kenyan women would warm up to cervical cancer screening if they are saved the embarrassment of exposing their private parts to health personnel, a survey shows.

The survey on 327 women aged 18 to 60 years in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu shows that 87 per cent would be more likely to screen for the killer disease if they don’t reveal their private parts the way they do in traditional screening methods such as pap smear and Visual Inspection.

The survey conducted in October 2016 by the research firm Consumer Options, was meant to assess attitudes of women towards a new cervical screening method that allows them to privately self-collect samples for testing without exposing their private parts to health personnel.

Currently, less than 10 per of Kenyan women have been screened for the disease, partly due to fear of exposing their private parts to health staff despite  cancer being the biggest killer among women.

The new method, introduced six months ago by Lancet Group of Labs, allows women to collect samples for testing by themselves in the privacy of their home, or in a private room in the office or lab.

This is done by gently swabbing the inner parts of the vaginal canal using a special soft brush to collect fluids and soft tissues. The brush containing the sample is then taken or dispatched to the lab for testing. The brush is available in various outlets across the country including pharmacies or ordered from Lancet.

The self-collected samples are then tested to check if the woman is infected with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer.

In traditional cervical cancer screening methods such as Pap smear and Visual Inspection, health personnel have to insert a plastic or metal device (speculum) into the vagina to view any abnormal changes on the cervix associated with cervical cancer.

Many women find the procedure embarrassing, leading some to skip or delay screening despite high risks of cervical cancer.

“This survey shows there that the numbers of Kenyan women who are screened for cervical cancer can be increased significantly if the screening method ensures more privacy. This will save the lives of many women,” said Dr Ahmed Kalebi, Managing Director/ CEO of Lancet which commissioned the survey.

He added: “In Australia, a similar programme of self-collection of samples for HPV testing is proving successful in combating cervical cancer. The programme is sponsored by the government.”

The survey also shows that younger women (under 40 years) were more receptive to the new screening programme. Older women felt it was more suited to their younger counterparts, incorrectly believing themselves to be less susceptible to the cancer.

“The self-sampling kit as a method of cervical cancer screening was hailed as revolutionary and a sign of hope and convenience,” concluded the survey.

The survey called for efforts to awareness among women about the value of screening for cervical cancer including knowing if they are infected with HPV.

Ministry of Health data shows that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Kenyan women and in terms of deaths, it is top most. It is 10 times more prevalent in Kenya than in the United States.

Testing for HPV which causes the cancer is emerging as a recommended method of screening for the disease compared to the traditional methods of pap smear and visual inspection.

Governments, including those of United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand have switched from pap smear to HPV testing in their national cancer screening programmes.

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