Abstract:
Background: Cervical cancer can be prevented and mortality/morbidity reduced by
early detection and referral. Developing countries are likely to benefit from more cost
effective methods of screening and treatment. Visual inspection with acetic acid and
Lugol`s iodine (VIA/VILI) offers a see and treat solution thus an affordable and efficient
way to identify pre-malignant lesions. Immediate treatment with cryotherapy can be
offered if pre-malignant lesions are found on visual inspection. Cryotherapy is a simple
procedure that is curative for dysplasia; it is likely to benefit cervical dysplasia cases
picked early in resource poor settings, however there are several factors that hinder
patients’ access to this noble technique.
Objective: Determine hindrances to cryotherapy for patients following positive results
of VIA/VILI after referral.
Design: Cross sectional Study
Setting: Khwisero, Western Kenya.
Subjects: Women attending a medical camp, willing to get screened for cervical cancer.
Results: One hundred and nine patients were screened; seventy three (66.97%) were
negative for VIA/VILI, twenty one (19.26%) were positive and referred for cryotherapy.
Reasons for lack of follow up were financial constraints, lack of medical personnel at
referral centres and poor access to the referral facilities.19.26% of women identified
with positive lesions required intervention. No patient received cryotherapy following
referral.
Conclusion: There is urgent need for availability of cryotherapy machines and training
of personnel who can perform cryotherapy at the primary care level. Regional studies
on knowledge attitudes and practices about VIA/VILI and cryotherapy are required
to provide reasons for the poor uptake of this procedure.
