G-1088

Mobile Cervical Cancer Vaccina

Description

Financing

Documents

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History Logs

Project Description

Region: Africa

Country: Nigeria

Location: Owerri

Total Budget: $193,433

Areas of Focus: Disease prevention and treatment, Maternal and child health



Cervical cancer poses a major public health threat to women in many low and medium resourced countries in South and Central America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, where it is still the leading type of cancer among women (Ferlay et al., 2001; Parkin et al., 2005). With about 500,000 new cases and 250,000 deaths each year worldwide, it is the second most common cancer among women (World Health Organization (WHO), 2006) with incidence in Sub-Saharan countries ranging from 30 to 40 per 100,000 women (Kahesa et al., 2008). In Nigeria, the national incidence of cervical cancer is 250/100,000 (Adewole et al., 1997). A retrospective analysis of all patients with histologically confirmed cancer of the cervix at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu from June 1, 2004 to December 31, 2013, show that cervical cancer accounted for 54.0% of all histologically confirmed cancers. The ages of the patients ranged from 21 to 90 years with a mean of 51.6 ± 3.2 years, Fedrick et al., 2014.

Despite the acknowledgement that the existing cancer burden is preventable, new cases and deaths remain high and this is mainly due to the lack of information and knowledge that would facilitate prevention and early detection amongst the general population. Individuals are not aware of the basic facts of the disease, its risk factors and how to minimise exposure to the risks. Like in many other countries, the majority of Nigerians have continued to engage in lifestyles that continue to place their health at risk of cancer and these include smoking, alcoholism, lack of physical activity and unhealthy diets. There is a large cancer knowledge gap among general population of Nigeria

In addition to the knowledge gaps on prevention, the majority of the cancer patients present with the condition very late resulting in less chances of treatment success. Early diagnosis not only increases the chances of treatment success but results in lower and affordable treatment cost. Late diagnosis is mainly due to lack of knowledge among patients who consult clinics when they are at advanced stages. Several empirical studies prove that improved survival rates for cancer depend upon the diagnosis of cancer at an early stage. However, the disease is not being treated with the urgency it deserves due to the widespread lack of knowledge. Although there is overwhelming evidence on the relationship between cancer and STIs including HIV and AIDS, there is also very limited integration of prevention and management services for these conditions. This is coupled with a weak referral system. Currently, there are funding constraints and inadequate skills for cancer prevention and control. This scenario therefore, calls for an urgent availing of cancer screening services and information dissemination to dispel all the myths and misconceptions. The current scenario calls for a well-integrated approach to the national cancer response.

Project Goal:

To reduce late presentation (3rd and 4th stages) of common cancers (cervical cancer) through cancer information dissemination and screening

Specific Objectives:

(i) Educate the rural women in remote areas about risk factors and preventive measures of cervical and breast cancer

(ii) Screen the women of cervical cancer

(iii) Provision of psychosocial support and referral channels to rural women diagnosed of cancer.

Project Design

This project will see the Rotary Club of New Owerri in Imo State (Zone 19, District 9140) running a Mobile VIAC (Visual Inspection with acetic acid and Cervicography) Clinic for the screening of cervical cancer, treating precancerous lesions and doing clinical breast examination for women in selected remote areas. This is a double barrelled project through which the organisation intent to offer two mobile services (mobile based cervical cancer education and Mobile screening) at once. This is because once educated of cancer the women need the screening facilities, referrals and follow up for treatment services.

The cancer information dissemination is an integral component of this project. Information will be disseminated through the development and distribution of IEC materials with high impact messages on basic facts on cancer, prevention and early detection guidelines and/or recommendations. The IEC materials will include posters and flyers, which will be distributed to all the LGA of operation. Female volunteers/Retractors/RCC members in remote LGA will also be recruited and capacitated to disseminate cancer information in their respective LGA. These volunteers and other community leaders will provide a conduit through which communal women will be mobilised for screening.

Our Club will work collaboratively with the Imo State Ministry of Health, Medical Women Association of Nigeria, in Imo State Chapter, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria and will also make use of these partnerships to lobby and advocate for the development and rollout of cancer management protocols as well as resource mobilisation for the necessary equipment that would facilitate early detection and diagnosis.

The mobile cancer education and screening unit will also combine cancer education for all age groups including in school and out of school youths thereby laying a foundation for all future cancer intervention programmes.

The mobile project mainly consists of the VIAC equipment housed in a van/vehicle, which is suitable for the rugged rural terrain. VIAC is a simple procedure where by a health care simply swabs acetic acid (vinegar) on the cervix and waits for 3 minutes for any colour changes. Normal cervical tissue remains unchanged but the damaged tissues such as the precancerous or cancerous lesions turns white. A high powered camera will then be used to take images of the cervix which in turn will be viewed on the screen.

There are a number of screening types that can be used for cervical cancer screening. However, despite being effective some of them are not suitable and sustainable for developing countries. Pap smears and HPV tests requires highly skilled practitioners and state of the art laboratories hence cannot be sustainably availed to the general population at a large scale in the immediate future. It is in line with this foresight that the Rotary Club of New Owerri plans to carry out extensive district and ward based VIAC screening services. This is a cost effective intervention in that the mobile screening unit can cover a larger geographical area and helps to bring the service to the people rather than the people travelling long distances to seek for the screening services.

VIAC also enables a client to receive her results on the same day unlike pap smears and HPV test hence the client will leave the screening centre well informed of the decision she has to take. This makes VIAC a suitable screening method in our context where there are little resources for follow-up. Lost to follow up is one of the major current challenge in ART programme hence VIAC will enable us to avoid the some pitfall.

VACCINATON

Women that tested negative will be vaccinated. There shall be a coordinated vaccination of secondary school students after concent is gotten from their parents.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT

Over One million women from rural and urban areas of imo state and neighboring state. This include girls of school age, Undergraduate, market women, farmers and civil servants.

The project requires about $196,433 which will be used for purchase of vaccines, mobile examination and vaccination van, Stationary and medical consumables.

Primary Host Partner

District: 9140

Rotary Club of: New Owerri

Primary Contact: Chijioke Obinna

Email: obimumy@yahoo.com

Primary International Partner

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Project Status

Dropped
This project has been "Dropped". Check the history log entries to see why it was dropped.

Project listed for the 2015-16 Rotary Year.

The TRF Grant application number is #96400.

Proposed Financing

Existing Contributions Towards This Project

Date

Cash

DDF

Total

There are no contributions yet for this project.

Remaining Amount to Raise

Additional Club Contribution (Needed) - Add a contribution

$128,956

-

$128,956

Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation

$64,478

$0

$64,477

Total

$193,433

Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.

Project Supporting Documents


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Project Photos


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History Log Entries

31-Jan-16

System Entry

Creation of project page.

2-Sep-16

System Entry

System Entry: Project dropped per lack of response to the carry-over notification emails.

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