DIGITAL DATABASE FOR PHOTOS
Cervical cancer is preventable, but unfortunately still affects many young women in low- and middle-income countries where organized screening is lacking. So too in Nepal, where especially in remote areas there is no well-designed screening program. By taking pictures of the cervix during screening and storing them in a digital database, health workers can be better trained and supported, for example to determine if there is an abnormality at the cervix and thus start local treatment immediately. Further developing the algorithm of the database increases the accessibility of screening; which is essential for a world without cervical cancer. Female Cancer Foundation received an award to introduce a digital photo database as part of a cervical cancer screening program in Nepal from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences(KNAW).
PRESCRIP-TEC
The three-year Prevention Screening Innovation Project Towards Elimination of Cervical Cancer (PRESCRIP-TEC) with 14 partners in Bangladesh, Uganda, Slovakia and India with the goal of: developing innovative ways for early detection and direct treatment of cervical cancer.
One of the biggest lessons learned and milestones was the HPV self-test. This allowed women to test themselves for HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer, at home or at the clinic, using a simple cotton swab. If the test was positive, follow-up testing at local clinics followed. Health workers, specially trained and supported by artificial intelligence, could thereby quickly detect abnormal cells by applying vinegar to the cervix. If necessary, treatment was initiated immediately.
Thanks to the efforts of local health care providers and good education, more than 27,000 women in four countries participated in the self-test. The number of women who tested positive varied by country. These data help us to further develop similar programs. The initial results show the importance of properly informing women and actively following up with them after a positive test. This project proved that through cooperation and innovation great strides can be made in the fight against cervical cancer. The results are now being shared worldwide, including with WHO and GACD.
Visit the project's website for more information.
