by Cesar Ilao III

The Municipal Health Center of Los Baños and Brgy. Anos held its yearly free pap smear test at the Makiling Subdivision Covered Court on May 18, 2017. The program accommodated 50 women from Brgy. Anos.

The participants line-up to enlist their basic information before proceeding to the interview and the pap smear test. (Photo by Celerino Balasoto Jr.)

Pap smear is a clinical procedure to diagnose if a woman has a cervical cancer, a cancer found in the cervix or the opening of the uterus. The doctor-in-charge examines samples from the cervix to check the presence of cancerous cells.

Around 50 women were accommodated by the representatives from Los Baños Municipal Health Center and Barangay Anos on May 18, 2017 for their yearly free pap smear. (Photo by Celerino Balasoto Jr.)

The participants underwent  the (1) registration or enlistment of basic information, (2) interview, and (3) pap smear test. The results of the pap smear test will be released after a week.

According to Luiza Almarvez, Brgy. Anos Nutrition Scholar, the pap smear test conducted is for the benefit of the women in the barangay. “Malalaman ng babae kung meron silang sakit, katulad ng cancer. Magiging aware na sila na every year dapat magpa-papsmear sila kahit papano,” said Almarvez. She also said that the participants will save money if they attended the free pap smear test, instead of consulting a private OB Gynecologist.

Cervical cancer can be prevented by using condoms to reduce the risk of being infected with HPV, reducing sexual partners, having HPV vaccine, and avoiding smoking.