Dubai:Zulekha Hospital has launched the seventh edition of its cervical cancer campaign this month. The campaign was launched in 2014 and has proved highly effective at increasing screenings at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah and Dubai. The campaign offers free pap-smear tests and consultations with specialists until 23 September 2020.

In order to increase early detection and prevention of cervical cancer among women in the UAE, it is vital that women regularly attend screenings. Zulekha Hospital’s campaign ‘Chance to Change’ aims to support the UAE government’s efforts to decrease cancer fatalities by 2021.

Zulekha Hospital Co-Chairperson, Zanubia Shams, commented: “Whilst the globe is recovering from the pandemic and hopeful of a healthier tomorrow, we are continuing our endeavor to provide easy access to essential preventive health checks. These checks are important for individuals and should not be ignored. A simple but vital change can be made through greater awareness of the disease, the test or vaccine and this can be life-saving for boys or girls.”

In 2018, over 7,600 women in the Mena region died from cervical cancer that was caused by HPV, according to the latest data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), published in the Global Cancer Observatory*.

A 2018 study found that the most common strains of HPV were HPV types 16, 31 and 18. Another study from 2014 showed that 10 per cent of patients tested had HPV. Cervical cancer, caused by HPV, is the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the UAE, causing at least 56 deaths annually among the population of 1.9 million women who are aged 15 years and older are at risk for the disease*.

To register for the screening, call or whatsapp 600524442 or visit change.zulekhahospitals.com