JUNE 9, 2018

According to the Indian Journal of  Medical and Pediatric Oncology, cervical cancer is one of the main leading causes of death in India as well as the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide. Awareness of cervical cancer is high, yet screening and treatments are fairly low in India. The reason being that women in India often times leave their own care for last. They are the foundation of the family, putting all the work of the household and childcare on themselves. For this reason, they often ignore their pains and put themselves last, especially if they believe seeking medical attention will bring a financial hardship on the family. Aside from financial burdens, there is an issue of getting transportation to reach a medical facility. Even with accessible money and transportation, most Indian women are not educated on the process nor importance of cervical cancer screenings. Many stories are told of women in rural communities believing that doctors are frauds and secretly inserting tracking devices or something else of the creative nature to do them harm. Indian culture also leads women to act very shy and believe their vaginas should not be seen or looked at by anyone other than their partner. They are made very uncomfortable by even the thought, so getting them to come into a clinic is nearly impossible. However, skipping out on a screening causes the transmission rates of HIV between parents and children to go up.  

Generally, every woman should have a pap smear done every 3 years after the age of 21. Skipping out on a screening can lead to death death, as well as raise the transmission rates of HIV between parents and children. Hence, as a means of aid, PHRII puts together community health camps year-round, in which they provide cervical cancer screenings for women primarily located in the rural areas of India. They provide all the necessary paperwork for follow ups, checkups, and the equipment for pap smears and screenings. On May 23, 2018 I was given the opportunity to take part in such an amazing experience. We arrived early, set up shop, and began our day. As a student I was able to help the staff by measuring each patient's weight, height, and blood pressure while they took their medical history. Subsequently, I was taken into the examination room, where I was able to directly observe a screening with the permission of the patient. Prior to the camp, we had a lecture by Dr. Vijaya on cervical cancer. She explained the anatomy of the vagina, HPV, and the importance and process of a screening. Stepping into that room, I was ready to take the information I learned in class into the field for a full understanding. Dr. Vijaya was also our doctor at the camp and while in the examination room she explained all the steps of the screening as she conducted them, including an explanation of the cervix and the tools needed.  

After this field experience, my study abroad trip in India has definitely been deemed unforgettable. Pursuing a career in the medical field would be my ultimate dream, thus had been able to offer my help alone on the outside works of the camp was amazing, but actually being a part of the screening was beyond an incredible experience. I was able to encounter first hand how a team of PHRII staff take it upon themselves to round up women, educate them about cervical cancer and healthcare, keep track of their medical history, provide screenings, and follow up with them all for FREE! These women receive these services free of charge with the help of PHRII funding without even having to leave the comfort of their villages. The work of this institute is truly life-changing and the smile it leaves on the faces of these women are absolutely priceless.

In conclusion, visiting India has forced me to realize that there is an entire world dealing with pain and suffering outside of my everyday life. Each day I am here I grow eager for justice and change for these countries. As an individual, I am finding that many people are capable of giving back to these organizations to help women and children all around the globe, whether it be through donations of pocket change or the time out of their busy lives to volunteer. Rural areas and third world countries aren't as fortunate as other places on the world map and it is up to the people who can to make a change.   

Resources:

Kaarthigeyan, K. “Cervical Cancer in India and HPV Vaccination.” Advances in Pediatrics., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3385284/.

Madhivanan, Purnima. “PHRII.” Public Health Research Institute of India, www.phrii.com