Albert Luthuli Hospital aims for new world record
The attempt is part of the Phia Ma campaign whose objective is to create public awareness for breast and cervical cancers, while promoting screening to ensure early detection and treatment of cancer.
INKOSI Albert Luthuli Hospital will attempt to perform 1000 Pap Smear tests today to set a new world record.
The attempt is part of the Phia Ma campaign whose objective is to create public awareness for breast and cervical cancers, while promoting screening to ensure early detection and treatment of cancer.
The 1000 Pap Smears has never been achieved in one place on the same day in South Africa or the African continent.
Fortis Hosptial at Vashi, Mumbai screened over 751 women in an 8-hour marathon screening setting a Guiness World Record for the highest number of cervical cancer screenings on 23 December 2012. They beat an earlier record of 350 participants held by Kaiser Permanente, San Diege, USA, which was achieved in January 2011.
Both cervical and breast cancer are preventable and can be successfully treated if women present at health facilities regularly and get screened so that interventions can be made early if cancer is found.
The Department of Health, in partnership with the University of KZN and the Cancer Association of South Africa invited women from eThekwini an surrounding areas to present themselves for screening at the hospital today which is being manned by volunteers including specialists, doctors, nurses and ordinary citizens.
