Women encouraged to do Pap smear regularly
All public healthcare facilities in the province offer free cervical screening to all eligible women including those who have given birth after six weeks of delivery of their baby.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) encourages women aged between 20 and 50 to have a Pap smear done regularly or once every three years to detect cervical cancer or cell changes that may lead to cervical cancer.
This follows a record number of 165 603 (27.1%) cervical screenings conducted on eligible women in healthcare facilities in the province during the 2023/24 financial year. The number is below the target of 40% (244 070) of all women between the ages of 20 and 50 years.
GDoH states that symptoms do not usually appear in the early stages of cervical cancer, which is why it is important to do the Pap smear screening.
“Regularly doing a Pap smear assists with early identification and management of abnormal cells, and also helps find cervical cancer early, when it’s more likely to be cured.”
Sikhonjiwe Masilela, GDoH’s Director for Maternal, Neonatal, Child, Women’s Health and Nutrition, said that the Department aims to achieve its 40% target or above in this financial year.
“We have accelerated health literacy on cervical cancer screening, focusing on health promotion and health education, as well as promoting the culture of booking system in our facilities to ensure that we have more women coming forth to test.
“We would like to encourage eligible women to visit their nearest clinic or make an appointment for cervical cancer screening. This will allow early detection and treatment should they be found to have the cancer,” said Masilela.
All public healthcare facilities in the province offer free cervical screening to all eligible women including those who have given birth after six weeks of delivery of their baby.
To improve the uptake in cervical screening, the GDoH is also taking healthcare services to the doorstep of communities in townships, informal settlements and hostels for their convenience.
This is part of efforts to improve health outcomes of communities and ensure that any life-threatening illnesses are detected ahead of time and treated appropriately.
