Cancer test ineffective
The number of new cervical cancer cases continues to rise with efforts to detect the disease early through a nationwide screening programme failing, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.
Each year about 7,000 women are diagnosed with the disease, which is the number-one cancer among women, caretaker Public Health Minister Pinij Charusombat said. "Despite massive efforts to curb this cancer, the number of new cases continued to rise."The figures are very alarming," said Pinij. One factor attributed to the failure of the screening programme is that many women find it embarrassing to go for a cervical cancer test, which is provided free of charge, doctor Pratch Boonyawongworoj, the permanent secretary for health, said. "Most, if not all, women diagnosed with cervical cancer have never had a test," he said. Early last month, the ministry carried out a comprehensive screening programme for the disease in 75 provinces. From the target population of 800,000 women between 35 and 60 years of age, only 100,000 showed up. Of those, 400 were found to have the disease and were now receiving treatment, Pinij said. Recent figures show the highest rate of cervical cancer deaths was in Samut Sakhon, followed by Chon Buri and Samut Songkhram, while Bangkok ranked fourth. The Pubic Health Ministry, the National Health Security Office and the National Cancer Institute yesterday held a conference to brainstorm better strategies to reach out to the target population still shying away from screening programmes. Pinij said the disease also puts a huge strain on the healthcare system, with treatment costing as much as Bt1 million per patient. Arthit Khwankhom The Nation
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