DOH brings cervical cancer screening closer to communities in Butuan City
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
|
The city government of Butuan, through the City
Health Department, conducted a visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA)
screening activity on May 18, 2026, at the Butuan City Health
Department–Libertad Main Health Center. Some 37 women benefited from the
cervical cancer screening. |
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — The Department of Health–Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga continues to strengthen its campaign against cervical cancer by enhancing screening services at the barangay level, ensuring that women in communities have improved access to early detection and preventive healthcare services.
During the DOH Media Forum on May 18, Romelyn Esther Torralba-Santos, nurse V of DOH-CHD Caraga, shared that free visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screening services are being offered in rural health centers to ensure women have access to essential healthcare services, particularly cervical cancer screening.
Torralba-Santos emphasized that cervical cancer, primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), remains the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide and the second most common cancer, as well as one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, among Filipino women.
Given these concerns, she emphasized the need to heighten awareness campaigns and healthcare interventions in the community level to encourage early detection and prevention. She also assured that the health personnel who would administer the service were trained and would strictly observe data privacy.
To eliminate cervical cancer, DOH-CHD Caraga continues to adopt the global 90-70-90 strategy. Under this target, 90 percent of girls are expected to be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15, 70 percent of women should undergo high-performance screening tests by ages 35 and 45, and 90 percent of women identified with cervical disease should receive appropriate treatment.
In the region, the 2026 Nationwide Cervical Cancer Screening Services and Proteksyon Para sa Altapresyon were jointly launched on May 12 in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, reinforcing efforts to bring preventive healthcare services closer to communities.
As part of these initiatives, more than 35 women in Barangay Libertad, Butuan City, benefited from free VIA screening services conducted by the Butuan City Health Department–Libertad Main Health Center on May 18.
The Butuan City Health Department also assured residents that free VIA screening services will not only be available at Libertad Main Health Center but will also be expanded to other main health centers across the city to increase healthcare coverage and encourage more women to undergo screening.
Through strengthened community-based healthcare interventions, DOH-CHD Caraga aims to protect more women from cervical cancer and promote accessible, quality, and preventive healthcare services throughout the region. (MFC, PIA Caraga with a report from Butuan CHD)
