HPV testing to be introduced soon, to target women 30 years and older – Ramsammy

The Health Ministry will soon commence testing for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), as efforts are ongoing to eradicate cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases are caused by the HPV virus, which also supports the development of other forms of cancer, such as breast cancer.
Additionally, figures provided by Guyana’s Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony revealed that chronic diseases have accounted for 74 per cent of deaths in Guyana, and the Ministry is working to lessen this percentage and ensure the population remains healthy.
In this regard, Advisor to the Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, has said the testing programme will be used as one of the frontline interventions to identify people at risk, specifically women aged 30 and above, and ensure that they receive immediate medical attention.
He explained that this measure would be complemented by frequent monitoring and the introduction of pap smears and cryotherapy among other medical interventions for persons with cervical cancer.
“This year, in the public sector at Linden, at New Amsterdam, in Georgetown, and then subsequently (at) other hospitals, we will have the capacity to test for HPV. So, everybody will know their HPV status…but there is a hospital…that doesn’t have the equipment this year, that doesn’t prevent people from Region One from getting the test. Because the health centre, the hospital, will collect the samples and send them to Georgetown,” Dr Ramsammy explained.
While the testing programme will be on stream this year, parents and guardians are still being advised to ensure children under their care get vaccinated against HPV. Dr Ramsammy explained that vaccines for HPV are available at all primary healthcare facilities across the country.
“If a child is vaccinated with HPV, we are setting the stage to end cervical cancer in this country…This is one of the few countries, so we have now expended it: even if you are an older woman, before 45, and you want your HPV vaccine, come, it is available,” Dr. Ramsammy stated.

HPV
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is sexually transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who is infected with the virus. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex, even if the individual with the virus has no visible signs or symptoms.
There is no cure for the virus (HPV) itself; however, treatments are available for health problems that HPV can cause, such as genital warts and cervical cancer, among others.
In 2023, the Health Ministry expanded access to HPV vaccines to persons beyond 15 years of age, in keeping with new guidelines issued by global health authorities.
The Government of Guyana has significantly increased its health investment, with more than a doubling of the per capita investment in health between 2020 and 2023.
In acknowledging these advances, the Ministry of Health has been urged to elevate the strategies and actions to manage and control cancers in our country.

Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix, which is located in the lower part of the womb. It is the result of abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body.
Having sexual intercourse at an early age, or having multiple partners; smoking, and contracting sexually-transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhoea or syphilis increases a person’s chance of developing the disease.
The two most effective procedures to detect cervical cancer are: the pap smear test, which looks for pre-cancer cells that might become cervical cancer; and the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), which examines the womb or the cervix for changes that might lead to cancer.

However, while both of these tests can get the job done, the VIA test is more readily available to women, compared to the pap smear test.
Further, the Human Papillomavirus infection examination and vaccines can help prevent women from developing cervical cancer.
Screening for cervical cancer using the pap smear and VIA method should be done every three years upon attainment of the age of twenty-one, while testing for HPV should start from the age of thirty years.
However, it is recommended that, if someone has undergone both examinations, the procedure should be repeated every five years, and not three years.

Budget 2024
The Ministry of Health has received its largest budgetary provision this year, with the sum of $129.8 billion being set aside to help to tackle chronic diseases in Guyana.
The allocation is part of Government’s transformation goals aimed at executing programmes which seek to mitigate the spread of transmissible diseases.
These goals include the improvement of services, specialised training for health practitioners, construction and rehabilitation of healthcare facilities, and updating of guidelines as well as legislation.