SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon (PIA) — The provincial government of Sorsogon conducted free pap smear examinations from March 10 to 14 to promote early cancer detection, according to a local official.
Cristina Jamoralin, the focal person for gender and development (GAD) in Sorsogon, said the weeklong health campaign served at least 1,000 women aged 22 to 62.
Women who participated in the program came from the provincial government, national agencies and various municipalities, she noted.
The GAD office collaborated with the Sorsogon chapter of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines to implement the health campaign in recognition of Women’s Month.
“I decided to concentrate on the health sector by offering women free health services, such as pap smears, which are crucial tools for early detection and prevention of potential cervical cancer,” Jamoralin said.
Programs like this not only alleviate women’s concerns about contracting cervical cancer but also reduce their financial burden, as a pap smear test in the Philippines typically costs between P1,000 and P4,500.
According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, with approximately 660,000 new cases and about 350,000 deaths reported in 2022.
Danna Ajero, a 24-year-old student, believes healthcare programs play a crucial role in helping women mitigate the disease’s impact and promote early detection.
“The pap smear test is quite expensive, so a free test like this would greatly assist women in detecting early signs of issues related to their cervix, making it accessible and available to all,” she said.
In addition to the pap smear test, the provincial government offered free Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening, along with medical and dental services.
Neomie, a student at Bicol University, took advantage of the free HIV screening because she believes getting tested early is better than regretting it later.
“I think it’s high time for all of us to consider getting tested, whether we are sexually active or not. Let’s put an end to the negative beliefs, stereotypes and discrimination associated with HIV testing. Early detection and prevention are always better than dealing with regrets,” she stated.
The World Health Organization has revealed women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women without HIV.(With a report from Kyla Jane Pancho, PIA 5/Sorsogon)
