DoH sets free cervical cancer screening this May

MANILA, Philippines — The health department is set to give free cervical cancer screening to women in observance of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month this May.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said that the Department of Health (DoH) will give free cervical cancer screening to women aged 30-45 years old in its 58 accredited hospitals nationwide.

Citing data from the World Health Organization, DoH said that the target age group for cervical cancer screening was 35-45 years. Ona said that screenings would be held once a week for the whole month of May.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month will be launched by the health department on the following dates and places: May 2 at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center; May 4 at the Bicol Regional Training and
Teaching Hospital; May 5 at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and May 6 at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

Ona said that free cervical cancer screening would be given every Monday of May for those in Metro Manila while Luzon hospitals have designated all Wednesdays for the free cervical cancer screenings.

Free screenings for women in Metro Manila will be available at the following hospitals every Monday: Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Tondo Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, Valenzuela General Hospital, San Lorenzo Ruiz Memorial Hospital, National Children’s Hospital, and Jose Rodriguez Memorial
Hospital.

Cervical cancer screening will be conducted every Thursday in Visayas and every Tuesday in Mindanao.

Ona stated that the National Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Program addresses the cervical cancer issue in the country in three different levels: (1) promotion of healthy lifestyle, (2) early
diagnosis to detect pre-cancerous lesions and other abnormalities, and (3) immediate treatment to prevent pre-cancerous lesions from developing.

The DoH said that cervical cancer has been ranked second as the most common kind of cancer among women, and nine out of ten cases occur in developing countries.

Last year, DoH recorded the highest incidence of cervical cancer in Manila, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, and Taguig, while the lowest was recorded in Rizal.