Screening for Change:
Launching the annual Pap Smear Campaign

In celebration of Women’s month March 2021, Resident Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Clara Jeketera-Khumalo, in collaboration with Welwitschia Private Hospital, has launched an annual Pap Smear Campaign.

The campaign’s purpose is twofold. It aims to raise awareness among residents of Walvisbay, Swakopmund, and Hentiesbay around cervical cancer, the importance of routine pap smear screenings and available vaccines.  It also targets, screens and educates women in rural communities who don’t have access to medical aid or the finances needed to undergo a pap smear screening.

Across the globe, cervical cancer kills one woman every two minutes. It is the second most commonly occurring cancer, and it is preventable.

Young girls between the ages of nine and 15 can be given Cervarix, a vaccine capable of preventing early-stage cervical cancers and pap smear abnormalities arising from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

Statistics show that 80% of sexually active women will contract an HPV infection at some point in their lives, with up to 70% of these infections resulting from cancer-causing HPV types.

As a result, it’s recommended that women from the age of 21 get a pap smear at least every three years. A pap smear can identify changes in the cervix, which could lead to cancer, and early detection can be the difference between life and death.

Not only does Welwitschia Hospital provide daily pap smear screenings for women, but the clinic also administers the Cervarix vaccine to young girls.

Click here to book an appointment with any of our world-class obstetricians and gynaecologists. 

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the private institutions, medical practitioners and those in the greater community who donated their time and money to support and assist with making this NFP initiative a success.

For more information about the campaign or how you can get involved, contact Dr Jeketera-Khumalo on +264 64 284 130, or email hello@welwitschiahospital.com.