ARAYAT -- Third district Board Member Monina “Monz” Laus on Monday said she has started meetings with women groups, non-government organizations and donors for the institutionalization of a free pap smear program for Pampanga women.
Laus said such move is in response to the growing threat of cancer of the cervix among women.
Cancer of the cervix or cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related disease and death among women in the Philippines, Laus said, citing Department of Health (DOH) statistics.
“And, the best and most affordable way to detect cervical cancer is by having regular Papanicolau tests or Pap smears,” Laus said.
One factor attributed to the increase of incidence of cervical cancer, Laus believes, is the lack of financial capacity and inadequate information among women in the grassroots for them to prioritize having regular pap smear tests.
To address the situation, Laus plans to reach out to 25 women per barangay in Pampanga who are financially incapacitated and are at risk of cervical cancer.
Laus is now reaching out to the business sectors and other philanthropic organizations as partners to support this endeavor along with Quota International Pampanga and Rotary Club of Central Pampanga.
Laus is also proposing that a community or barangay along with partner non-government organizations would be sponsoring the budget for pap smear tests for 25 indigent women through monetary donation that will help augment the budgetary requirements of P200 per woman.
To help the business sectors realize their corporate social responsibility, Laus also welcomes partnerships with them in efforts to provide Filipino families access to reproductive health services and for them to achieve quality of life.
“We are welcoming all the help we can get for this endeavor,” Laus said.
Laus, who also spoke to women of Barangay Baliti here, said she will deliver free pap smear services for women in the area through Quota International Pampanga.