September 28, 2024
By Delicia Janniere
The government’s subsidized cervical cancer screening programme, aimed at combating the second leading cause of death among women in Guyana, has seen minimal utilization, with only 1% of distributed vouchers redeemed.
This was revealed by Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
As of September, out of the 60,000 vouchers made available to women aged 21 to 65, only 3,300 tests have been conducted.
This represents a small fraction of the approximately 300,000 women eligible for the programme.
The initiative, which allocates $8,000 vouchers to cover cervical cancer testing, was launched with the expectation of a higher uptake.
The programme is supported by a $2.8 billion budget to provide critical early detection services.
Dr. Jagdeo expressed concern over the low participation rate and urged more women to take advantage of the subsidized screening.
He emphasized the importance of early detection in preventing cervical cancer deaths, encouraging women to access the service.
Women can redeem their cervical cancer screening vouchers at several medical facilities, including New Vision Medical Centre, Woodlands Limited, HUIAQI Health Service, Eureka Medical Laboratory, and Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital.
The Ministry of Health continues to promote the programme, stressing the life-saving potential of regular cervical cancer screenings.