Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Campus Health Services (CHS) recently completed their first #dontfearthesmear campaign to encourage students to get a free cervical screening.
This is according to Dr Lynne Julie, doctor at CHS Stellenbosch.
“Thanks to funding received from Higher Health we were able to fund a limited number of pap smears,” said Julie.
Stellenbosch University’s Campus Health Services recently completed the #dontfearthesmear campaign to encourage students to get a free cervical screening. “Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer amongst South African women and the most common amongst women aged 15 to 44 years old,” according to Dr Colin Montgomery, gynaecologist at Stellenbosch Mediclinic. PHOTO: Supplied/Stellenbosch University Campus Health Services
Limited spots open
There were limited spots available and the free screenings took place at both Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campuses, according to Julie.
“This campaign ran until the target of 50 pap smears across both campuses was met,” Julie said.
The campaign was launched at the end of October and all the available free slots were filled within four weeks, according to Julie.
It is the first time that CHS is able to offer pap smears for free, she added. The normal cost of the pap smear is R150, according to Julie.
Pictured above is Campus Health Services (CHS) Stellenbosch. The free cervical screenings took place on both Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campuses at their respective CHS until the target of 50 pap smears across both campuses was met, according to Dr Lynne Julie, doctor at CHS Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Dominique Fuchs
Importance of cervical screenings
“Cervical screening, in this case a pap smear, checks the health of your cervix,” said Julie.
It is important for anyone with a cervix to have these tests done as it is a screening tool used to detect cancer, she explained.
“Through cervical screenings we can pick up cervical abnormalities. If these abnormalities are picked up early enough, it saves lives,” said Suné Minnaar, fourth year medical student at Tygerberg campus.
An early diagnosis would give patients a better chance of fighting cancer, Julie explained. “Finding cell changes early can help prevent a person from getting cancer,” she added.
Early diagnosis and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions [a part of the skin that has an abnormal appearance compared to the skin around it] prevents up to 80% of cervical cancers, according to Dr Colin Montgomery, gynaecologist at Stellenbosch Mediclinic.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer amongst South African women and the most common amongst women aged 15 to 44 years old, he explained.
“Cervical cancer is common and causes serious disease that may even lead to death. In South Africa it remains the leading cause of cancer deaths,” said Prof MH Botha, Executive Head: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at SU.
The procedure
Every women should go for a cervical screening once they are 18 year of age or sexually active, Minnaar explained. Women should go for a pap smear every two years, according to her.
Suné Minnaar, fourth year medical student at Tygerberg campus, explained when women should go for cervical screenings. AUDIO: Dominique Fuchs
A pap smear is performed in a clinician’s office. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for the whole exam, but only a few minutes for the actual pap smear, Julie said.
Screening involves taking a swab of the cervical cells, Montgomery explained. “It is usually uncomfortable, but it is not supposed to be painful,” he said.