Women of Moraikobai in the Mahaicony River benefitted from free screening for cervical cancer when the Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG) took its outreach clinic to that area recently.
The effort, which was made possible by Imana Medical Relief of North America [IMANA], saw women coming out in their numbers for pap smears, which would enable them to know their status and get treated early.
According to CIG’s outreach director, Dr. Mujahid Ghazi, CIG tries to target mainly women from remote areas who find it difficult to access the screening facilities, which are readily available in the urban environment.
He has been visiting the remote areas with a team for the past nine years to find communities where he can sensitize and screen for cancers.
He told Stabroek News, “You would be surprised to know that quite a few patients are found in those areas and brought to Georgetown and treated.”
He said the CIG has set up a fund through IMANA “so if they don’t have money, we help them.”
He was pleased with the response and that the women made use of the opportunity.
Dr. Ghazi also sensitized the women and a few men who were present about the importance of taking care of their bodies and living healthy lifestyles. He said cervical cancer is caused by the HPV virus, which can easily be detected by pap smears.
The doctor also said that, “one percent of men suffer from breast cancer so they cannot say that they are free of it.” He said too that the prostate is commonly enlarged in Guyanese males after the age of 50 and that too can be diagnosed by screening.
Dr. Ghazi encourages persons to go in to the CIG, located on Lamaha & East streets and “get tested before it is too late. To fight this monster we call cancer, we have to fight together; we have to join hands to eliminate it…”
He said CIG provides evaluation and radiation treatment and follow up services for patients with malignant and certain benign diseases.
The outreach director mentioned too that on Mondays he conducts an ultrasound/consultancy clinic at County Pharmacy at Parika, which serves patients from that area and from the Essequibo coast and islands.
Similar clinics are also held at Williamsburg, Corentyne on Wednesdays and at Corriverton on Saturdays.
