Fifty-nine persons from Diamond and surrounding East Bank Demerara communities recently received cancer screening, diagnostic services and health education during an outreach organised by the Lotus Cancer Initiative Inc.
A release from the Ministry of Health said the exercise was conducted in collaboration with the ministry and Oxford Medical and focused on cancer prevention and early detection.
Women were offered cervical cancer screening, including Pap smears and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Colposcopies and cervical biopsies were also available for those requiring further evaluation.
The release said the services were intended to identify cervical abnormalities early, allowing for further investigation and treatment before they developed into cancer.
Clinical breast examinations were also conducted, while women received information on breast health and warning signs which should prompt medical attention. Those requiring further assessment were referred for additional investigations, including mammograms.
Men received prostate cancer screening and information on prostate health and the importance of medical evaluation.
Participants also attended educational sessions covering cancer risk factors, warning signs, screening and the importance of seeking medical attention early.
According to the ministry, the initiative includes follow-up and patient navigation after screening. Results are reviewed and communicated directly to patients, who are given explanations of the findings and guidance on the next steps.
Depending on the results, patients may be advised to undergo repeat testing, colposcopy, biopsy or imaging or to seek a specialist consultation or treatment.
The ministry said the follow-up system was intended to address the loss of patients from care after screening, as an abnormal result which was not communicated, understood or acted upon could result in a missed opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment.
Founder and Chairperson of the Lotus Cancer Initiative, Dr Shivani Samlall, said the organisation’s responsibility extended beyond taking screening services into communities.
“Our responsibility is not only to bring screening to communities, but to make sure that people feel supported, informed and valued throughout,” she said.
“If we can help one person find a cancer earlier, prevent a cancer from developing, or give someone the confidence to seek care, then the work we are doing matters.”
Samlall said cancer care should not end with a screening test and access to such services should not depend on where a person lived.
The organisation thanked the Ministry of Health, Oxford Medical, the Diamond Regional Hospital team, members of the hospital’s board, and Lotus members and volunteers for their support.
Lotus said it intended to continue expanding its community outreach programme across Guyana, with emphasis on ensuring that those screened received and understood their results and remained connected to further care.
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