UFCH Provide HPV Cervical Cancer Screen and Treat for Migrant Female Workers in Shanghai
With the support of Shanghai Domestic Service Association, Fengxian District Women’s Federation and Hongkou District Women’s Federation, United Foundation for China’s Health (UFCH) organized medical volunteers from Shanghai United Family Healthcare to provide free HPV cervical cancer screening and treatment for 1466 low-income working women in Shanghai, at the future site of Shanghai United Family Jing ‘an Hospital on Dec 1st -5th. They are waiters, cleaners and housekeeping workers in Shanghai, which are indispensable occupations in the city, and also need to be paid attention to.
Nearly 400 “Ayi” came to screening in batches on the first screening day. They completed the registration under the help of volunteers and went to the training room to learn how to prevent themselves from cervical cancer and the operation process of “self-sampling”. Then completed the screening by using “self-sampling” under the guidance of medical staff. The whole process was quick and orderly. Many of the Ayi came in uniforms. “We have to go back to work as soon as possible after the screening, this is really high efficiency ” the Ayi said.
Auntie Chen from Jiangsu just had her HPV screened for the first time in her life and also the first time she heard that HPV infection has a direct link with cervical cancer. Through this screening, Auntie Chen also learned that regular HPV test is so important, and she remind her family, friends to do the test regularly. What impressed Auntie Chen was not only how to better protect her health, but also the warm volunteers. Their enthusiasm made Auntie Chen feel like she was back in her hometown.
It is worth mentioning that among the volunteer team of this mission, few partners of the charity medical program has joined us! When asked Pilar Tan the founder of Willing Foundation why she volunteered, she replied, “UFCH and Shanghai United Family Healthcare have been helping us with medical resources, and it’s also a meaningful mission for low-income working women so I will definitely support it.”
We have completed 1466 women screened, including 214 positive samples, accounting for 14.6% of the total. Of all the positive samples, 124 women returned to the hospital for colposcopy exam and 106 got pathological biopsies for further laboratory results and medical consultations.
Since the program have launched in 2017, UFCH has provided free HPV/ cervical cancer screen and treatment to more than 16,000 women. This is the first time that we have turned our attention to female migrant workers in urban areas. The development of the city cannot be separated from their hard work, and what we can do is to help them raise their awareness of health protection and avoid the suffering on their health and families from cervical cancer.
We would like to give our sincere appreciation to our partners China Development Research Foundation, United Family Healthcare, Shanghai domestic Service Industry Association and sponsors CareHPV, Kingmed, PKS, Apple, Beilei Design for their great partnership on this mission.