Health

EfferentCares Initiative, an NGO, has established a cervical cancer screening facility at the Amuwo Maternal and Childcare Centre, Festac, Lagos State.
Ibukunoluwa Oluwole, Programme Coordinator of the NGO, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a health fair held in Lagos on Monday.
The health fair was organised by Lakeshore Cancer Centre in collaboration with other healthcare providers, including Bridge Clinic, Pathcare and Optimal Cancer Care.
Oluwole said the facility was set up at a Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) to ensure that more women had access to screening.
“We don’t only want women in topnotch areas to have access to it. It is also difficult getting someone from Ikorodu to Lekki to get screened.
“We create awareness but at the same time, we want them to identify a facility where they can easily go to.
“Apart from the one at Amuwo, we also have at St Raphael’s, Ikorodu,” she said.
Oluwole said the NGO focused more on breast and cervical cancer screening and uses a technology based approach in reaching out to its patients.
According to her, a device called the Enhanced Visual Assessment (EVA) system is used to screen the patients for cervical cancer.
NAN reports that the EVA system device is like a smart phone with a scanner attached behind it and uses an app connected to a computer that stores clients’ details.
During screening, the device captures images of the cervix and uploads them to the system using the app; the result gotten is checked for abnormalities on the cervix.
If any is found, the patient would either be treated or referred to a specialist.
The device also stores the treatments received by the patient and the next appointment for review or follow-up.
The programme coordinator stressed the need for every woman to go for screening every three years.
She said the money charged for the screening is affordable compared to what it could cost to treat the disease.