Charlestown-Nevis- Representatives of the Ministry of Health, recently took time from their busy schedule to make a special appeal to the women of Nevis, to take advantage of a Pap smear campaign, upcoming.
Ms. Sheilagh James, of the Health Promotion Unit, noted that her office has been working overtime in spreading awareness for the campaign, to businesses and offices around the island and to the wider population.
Junior Minster of Health, Hon. Hazel Brandy- Williams, urged all women who are sexually active, to make sure that they are a part of the screening exercise.
She noted that the campaign will be launched on Saturday 26th January and screening will be done at all of the Health Centers throughout the island, from 8 am to 11 am on that day.
She was also quick to point out, that the screening is available FREE OF COST.
She went on further to encourage parents with young girls who have been deemed to be sexually active and are under the age of 18, to accompany them to the Health Centers, for them to be screened.
‘Early detection, leads to early intervention and saves a lot of money in the process,’ she stated.
She also applauded the men in the community for showing up in such large numbers recently, to get their prostate checks done and admonished the women to follow suit, in checking up on their health.
Ms. Ermine Jeffers, Coordinator of Community Nursing Services, added her voice, by beseeching the women concerned, to make sure that they show up at the various Health Centers, this coming Saturday to get their screening done.
‘We have to stop cervical cancer,’ she said