With the intent of expanding the public health sector’s ability to carry out screening for cervical cancer, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the John Hopkins University yesterday engaged a three-day workshop.As a trainer of trainers’ workshop, the activity is geared at building human resource capacity to utilise the Acetic Acid (VIA) or single visit approach to screening, according to Director of Regional Health Services, Dr Narine Singh.He said that through the John Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO) local practitioners will be equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills required to train other level of health care providers.Yesterday, the participants, including Dr Singh, were locked in an intense and interactive session at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Multi-Purpose Room.Dr Singh revealed during an interview with this newspaper, that the initiative is in fact an offspring of a project the public hospital had some years ago engaged with the John Hopkins University. The project, he said was then centred on the screening of women, especially those who tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),Cheap Jerseys USA, for cervical cancer.“This was the main objective then, because as is known HIV positive women are more prone to develop cervical cancer…But it was after a few years into the programme that the Ministry of Health decided to have the programme expanded given the effective nature of the VIA technique.”It was against this background, Dr Singh said,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, that a decision was made to have the approach become a national programme rather than leaving it confined mainly to HIV positive women. “With this training we are hoping to roll it (screening) out countrywide because we recognise that cervical cancer is a major problem in Guyana. It is one of the most common types of cancer among women,” Dr Singh disclosed.According to the doctor, once detected early,Wholesale China Jerseys, cervical cancer can be treated and eventually cured thus the need to expand screening in order to make treatment readily available. He revealed that through the process of screening using the VIA technique health care providers could detect legions that could be cancerous.“We recognise that this is the way to go because it is one of the ways that we can help to prevent cervical cancer. So we have to encourage women to get themselves screened and if they show positive legions we can perform effective treatment.”Even lesions that are suspected to be cancerous, Dr Singh said, can be treated right away utilising a freezing technique. At the moment, VIA clinics are held at the GPHC,cheap jerseys cc, the Campbellville Health Centre, the Dorothy Bailey Health Centre and at the St Joseph’s Mercy Hospital.Out of Georgetown, persons can access the service at the New Amsterdam and Skeldon hospitals.With the expansion of the programme underway, the Director divulged that among the health facilities that are immediate targets for screening activities are the Suddie,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Charity, Bartica, Mabaruma, Leonora, West Demerara, Mahaicony and Linden hospitals.By next week another phase of the workshop is expected to commence, Dr Singh said which will see those currently being trained performing the role of facilitators. “Health care workers from the various target regions will come down to Georgetown to be trained then they will return to implement what they learn in order to facilitate the expansion.”Before the end of this year, the Director foresees that cervical screening will become a routine feature of the public health sector countrywide even as health care providers are exposed to additional training.