See & Treat Success

From 2004 onwards large scale See & Treat programs have been set up by the Female Cancer Foundation in Indonesia, South Africa and Suriname. As in many developing countries, these countries have a significantly high number of women suffering and dying from the effects of cervical cancer.

Between 2004 and 2006 Indonesia and Suriname hosted a pilot project on the method, thanks to the generous donation by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.

During this pilot project FCF has proven that the VIA method is not only the cheapest option but also the easier to offer and to execute in the circumstances found.

FCF has developed the See & Treat program into a concept that could be implemented in all developing countries in the world. The donation by the Dutch Postcode Lotery has set in motion many other donations and subsidies that have aided in the further development of the program. The encouraging results from the pilot programme have paved the way for FCF to start focusing mostly on activities in the high-incidence areas of the world.

FCF has received several large subsidies since 2006 and has spearheaded many activities in all partner countries. In 2006 and 2007 an Academic exchange between three universities in Indonesia and the universities in Leiden and Leuven was financed by the European Commission.

As a follow up from the pilot project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded more than 3.4 million Euro to set up See & Treat projects in Indonesia and South Africa between 2007 and 2011. So far 6 regions in Indonesia and the Mdantsane township on the Eastern Cape in South Africa, together encompassing around 4.5 million women, have been informed through the awareness campaigns. More than 250.000 women have been screened and thousands of healthcare workers have been educated in the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.

Next to satisfactory numerical results, a lot has been achieved in the process of a sustainable foundation for the See & Treat concept in partnership countries.

In addition to large donations from the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the FCF has been granted several subsidies from ABN AMRO Foundation, Achmea Foundation, Cordaid, Shell Durability Foundation, Nolet Foundation, Triodos Bank and many others.