Thursday, 9 August is National Women's Day. As a woman who is very much in control of my own life, making my own decisions and earning my own money, it is sometimes difficult to realise that the vast majority of women are not so fortunate. This week saw the publication of a study that suggests that it is possible to prevent millions of women becoming ill and dying of cervical cancer. But haven't we known how to do this for decades? The answer is yes, but only in the developed world (or in wealthy sectors of the developed world). The annual PAP smear is not a reality for the majority of women in the developing world, where cervical cancer is still a major killer. So, the revelation that there is a simple, quick and cheap way of screening for cervical cancer using a single visualisation of the cervix is welcome news indeed. While far from ideal, this technique has been shown to prevent the illness and death that is associated with the disease among far too many women. All that now remains is for the technique to be universally introduced in the developing world and women to be educated to use it - in itself not a simple task - but one that is vitally important in a world where women too often bear the burden of poor health.
Dr Bridget Farham, editor: https://www.bizcommunity.com