Continuing the training that we started in January with our doctor friends from Chicago, this week we had a second training on testing for cervical cancer using the VIA (visual inspection) technique using acetic acid (or table vinegar).
Because in January, the American doctors used the “training of trainers” method, i.e. trained the Saraya health workers how to perform VIA while teaching them how to teach others how to perform VIA, we could do another training without any doctors having to fly over. Now that is what I call sustainable development eh?
Anyways, the midwives trained in Saraya taught a group of nine people from the districts of Kedougou and Saraya how to perform VIA. The four day training went very well (after some slight delays and a minor temper tantrum by yours truly). And we got some practice and gave women in the village of Bandafassi and the town of Kedougou a chance to be tested. We talked about integrating testing for pre-cancerous cells in their daily consultations. This may take some time because the procedure is not suggested to be done on pregnant women or women under 30. It can be difficult to get women under 30 and not pregnant to come into the health post to do a test for a disease they have never heard of. It is just not in their health routines yet, like a pre-natal consultation is beginning to be. We decided that it would be a good idea to incorporate VIA into family planning consultations along with large-scale testing days like we did to practice their new skills.
My role? Facilitator extraordinaire. My job was to schedule, make power points, and liaise with our partner organization, Peace Care. Why did I not teach? Because I am a Peace Corps volunteer not a health worker! I am not only unqualified, but the midwives here, they are top notch and are the best teachers ever. We have one more training like this one planned and then every health district of Kedougou will be covered in terms of people who are able to perform VIA.
Also to come…a new surgeon in Kedougou who specializes in what? Cancer! And a new tool called a colposcope (although nobody knows how to use it) that can be used to biopsy cells on the cervix. So not only will the capacity for testing for cervical cancer be decentralized, but hopefully treatment will be too, and women will not have to travel all the way to Dakar to keep their cervices healthy.
Go to www.peacecare.org for more info on this project and our partner org.
Aunt Liz Said:
on August 3, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Good work Miss Leah. Sustainable, indeed!