The Primary Care Centre will be holding a cervical screening awareness week from Monday 12th June to Friday 16th June to highlight the importance of regular cervical screening for women.

During this week women aged 25-65 years who have never had cervical screening are strongly encouraged to attend the Primary Care Centre between 1:30pm and 3:30pm to obtain a cervical screening appointment for the same day or for one later that week.

A reception desk in the main waiting area will be dedicated to this event to ensure that requests for these appointments are promptly attended to.

Cervical screening tests (also called smear tests) are carried out to prevent cervical cancer, not to diagnose cancer.

Women eligible for the screening are urged to take advantage of this opportunity as screening can detect precancerous and/or abnormal cells. The detection and successful treatment of these cells usually prevents the occurrence of cancer. The most invasive cervical cancers are found in women who do not have regular screening.

Women who are menstruating are still strongly encouraged to request an appointment for a cervical smear, which will be made for within the next few weeks, as soon as it would be appropriate.

GHA Health Promotion Officer, Daya Dewfall, said: “Cervical screening is a vital aspect of women’s health and this initiative is a positive step forward.”

Minister for Health Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F. Costa MP, added: “The Gibraltar Health Authority continues with its policy of developing clinical services to the public in all areas of healthcare in Gibraltar. We are delighted at this latest initiative for women to avail themselves of cervical cancer screening and we encourage them to take up the opportunity next week at the Primary Care Centre. The health of the community is a top priority for our administration and we will continue to invest all the necessary resources in the GHA to ensure quality health care for the public across the board.”