Under the title “Self-Care: Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer”, the Ministry of Public Health (SESPA) launched, Friday, 11, the “Março Lilac” campaign, with the aim of intensifying, at the same time, during the remainder of the month, guidance is provided to the departments of Municipal health so that women who have never had a preventive examination, a PCCU, or who have not had a preventive examination for three years can seek care by extending the offer of the procedure.
The event was held in the Sespa Auditorium, and a workshop was also held on the Medium Complexity Service Network for Cervical and Breast Programs, in accordance with the standards of Ordinance 3712, dated 12/22/2020, which defines federal financial incentives for funding to enhance access to integrated procedures for screening and early detection and Cancer Control at SUS, with a focus on breast and cervical cancer.
The activity was aimed at health professionals from hospitals and high and medium complexity units providing care to patients suspected of having cancer and oncology. “The incidence and mortality associated with cervical cancer reinforces the need to maintain procedures aimed at controlling these cancers and enabling comprehensive care, ranging from early detection procedures to ensuring access to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. But for that, we need to update ourselves with the content. and guidelines passed by the National Cancer Institute,” explains state oncology care coordinator at Sespa, Patricia Martins.
In addition to alerting residents, a key point in the 2022 edition of the campaign is to combat the underreporting of cervical cancer records, as last year’s numbers were breached due to the difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 2017 to 2020, 2,264 cases were registered by municipal departments, which equates to an average of 566 confirmations per year. In 2021, only 245 new registrations were made. For 2022, the National Cancer Institute (INCA) estimates that 720 new cases will be registered in Pará.
In Pará, cancer prevention services follow a flow of care that begins in the Basic Health Unit (UBS) closest to the SUS user’s residence. At UBS, the GP, faced with a suspicious diagnosis, can refer the patient to the appropriate referral center for clinical determination, through examinations and biopsies.
If the diagnosis refers to cancer treatment, the patient with cervical cancer can be referred to one of the four government hospitals of high complexity and cancer referral available in Barra, such as Ofir Loyola and Hospital Universitario Barros Barreto, in Belem; The Baixo Amazonas Regional Hospital, in Santarém, and the Unacon affiliated to the Tucuruí Regional Hospital.
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