ISKANDAR PUTERI, Jan 22 — The Johor government, through the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), will contribute a total of 8,000 cervical cancer early detection test kits to women in the state.
State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said this was one of the state government’s efforts to encourage women to carry out early detection and increase their awareness of the importance of preventing cervical cancer.
He said the detection test kits will, among others, be given through mobile clinics that will visit each of the 56 state assembly constituencies in Johor at the end of this month.
“This mobile clinic will go to each of the 56 state constituencies to allow them, especially those in rural areas, to undergo health screenings and get counselling services.
“Women know about cervical cancer, but we believe there are some who are not aware of this. Some are even embarrassed about undergoing tests in hospitals, so this effort is a programme to encourage the targeted group (women) to come forward and undergo the test,” he said.
He said this at a media conference after the signing of the ‘Towards a Cervical Cancer-Free World’ memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Gleneagles Hospital and the ROSE Foundation in conjunction with the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month Campaign here today.
Also present were Johor Gleneagles Hospital (GHJ) chief executive officer Dr Kamal Amzan and ROSE Foundation chairman Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman.
Meanwhile, Dr Kamal said GHJ also contributed 1,500 cervical cancer early detection test kits to the ROSE Foundation to be distributed to women in Johor.
“This collaboration (with ROSE Foundation) not only emphasises GHJ’s dedication towards early detection of and prevention strategy for cervical cancer but also to increase awareness among the public about this health issue,” he said. — Bernama