Monday, 26 February 2018

As announced earlier this month, the Medical School together with Business Professional Women, Cyprus (BPW), and with the support of the Ministry of Health, embarked upon a cervical screening programme for some of the remote communities of Limassol and Larnaca/Famagusta districts. The campaign began two weeks ago at the Health Centre of Ormideia in the Larnaca region.

On Wednesday 21 February it was the turn of the remote villages of Limassol district to join the programme. A team of volunteers comprising Medical School doctors, staff and students along with BPW member volunteers visited Pachna Health Centre from 4pm to 8pm to inform and examine 30 women of the Limassol Krasochoria. The Pachna Health Centre covers the villages of Agios Amvrosios, Agios Therapon, Agios Thomas, Alektora, Anogyra, Arsos, Avdimou, Vasa, Dora, Kantou, Kissousa, Kyvides, Lofou, Malia, Omodos, Paramali, Pachna, Potamiou, Prasteio. Plataniskia, Pissouri, Souni-Zanakia and Sotira.

The aim of the campaign is to visit the two Health Centres once a month, in order to inform and offer free PAP tests to 30 women aged between 25 and 65.

It is estimated that by the end of June 2018 around 320 women will have been examined at both centres. The campaign will be suspended for the months of July and August and will resume in September until as many women as possible have been examined.

Student volunteers: Christer Sawaya, Jennifer Yau, John Rahama, Samantha El Warrak, Victoria Mamford, Joy Guha
Trainee Doctor volunteers at Limassol General Hospital: Dr Antoine Ayoub, Dr Takudzwa Tinarwo
Staff volunteers: Dr Savvas Argyrides, Dr Behrooz Behbod, George Sycallides, Argyris Evangelou
BPW volunteers: Mary Papadopoulou, Dr Mary Avraamidou, Poletta Michaelidou