Since 2000, cancer hass ranked as the primary cause of deaths among the Thai citizens. Among the Thai women, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer, with an estimated 10,000 new cases and 5,000 deaths each year. (GLOBOCAN2008) In Chiang Mai Province, the rate of screening effective for early detection is as low as 25%. (Chiang Mai Public Health Office 2009)
Breast cancer incidence and mortality are increasing due to westernization of the Thai diet. Considering the lack of knowledge about breast cancer among target women, PHJ works to promote self-examination habits.
PHJ has focused on education/training nurses/health center staff, and health volunteers to encourage more women to receive screening tests. Education for health volunteers consists of improving their knowledge of cervical cancer and breast cancer. Education for nurses and health center staff consist of improving their knowledge while also engaging in practical technical education; such as carrying out screenings correctly. If cancer is found upon examination, the patient is referred to an appropriate medical facility. By following up with theses cases and through on-site detection, PHJ aims to reduce cervical cancer and breast cancer mortality rates.
Completion of the Project
The Cervical Cancer/Breast Cancer Prevention Education Project from 2010 was completed in November 2013 achieving the goals for pap smear screening rate by reaching more than 50% of the target population of 125,100 women. More than 70% of the targeted women have been educated and acquired knowledge how to do breast self-examination.One main reason for PHJT to reach its goal was the use of Hino Mobile Minibus donated by Hino Motors Sales (Thailand) Ltd. and Hino Motors Manufacturing (Thailand) Ltd. The minibus is stocked with medical equipment covered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan grant and was used to provide screening services to women who would not otherwise have received health services.
As the three year project is closing, PHJ decided to transfer this project and donate the Hino minibus to the Chiang Mai Province Health Office. The donation ceremony took place on November 21, 2013. The minibus was transferred to Saraphi Hospital who takes the responsibility of using the minibus. This transfer of the project and minibus will ensure the continuation of mobile health screenings and will ultimately lead to the dereased rates of CC/BC in Chiang Mai.
Activities
Nurses/health center staff training workshop
Objective is to increase the knowledge and skill levels surrounding cervical and breast cancer screening. The two day program consists of teaching and practical training; the results are confirmed using a check list.
Health volunteer training workshop
Health volunteers receive lectures from loal nurses on transferring their knowledge about cervical cancer, breast cancer, and breast self-examination methods to other women. After the training, they encourage women to receive screening by visiting homes and organizing meetings.
Master health volunteer training workshop
Selected health volunteers receive special training on cervical and breast cancer knowledge. They coordinate the activities of other health volunteers and perform functions to support nurses by preparing screening equipment at campaigns.
Screening campaign
Extends services such as health education, cervical cancer screening, breast self-examination, medical facility referrals to target women.
Screening at remote places using a mobile clinic
Women working at a factory, for example, can easily participate in the examination at factory site with ease. Similar examinations are conducted at temples and school yards for convenience of many women.
Please see PHJ-Thailand website on this program.
Past programs
Three years from 2010 to 2013
Program sittes: Saraphi, Sankamphaeng, Sansai, Doisaket, Hangdon, and Sampatong Distrcits of Chiang Mai Province
The three year project started in November 2010 aiming to reduce cervical and breast cancer mortality and morbility as follows: increasing knowledge about and access to cancer screneening and appropriate treatment among the 125,000 target women: women from 30 to 60 years in the 6 activity sites in Chiang Mai Province.
Cervical cancer indicator: 50% or more of the target women receive screening
Breast cancer indicator: 70% or more of the target women are examined and taught to do a breast self-examination
Abnormal cases: 100% of the cases are referred for detailed examination and appropriate treatment
This project was implemented under the grant assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Three years from 2008 to 2010
Program site: Mae Rim and Mae Tang Districts of Chiang Mai Province. Chiang Mai is located in northern Thailand and is the second largest city in the country.
Since late 2007, the cervical cancer prevention program was implemented in two Chiang Mai Province districts, encompassing 40,530 target women. At the conclusion of the program, 62.6% of the target women successfully completed examinations. This achievement exceeds the governmental target of 50%. The Chiang Mai Health Department acknowlegded the effectiveness of the program.
Seven years from 2001 to 2007
Program site: Chaiyaphum Province: 330 kms northeast of Bangkok, a typical agricultural village in the northeast; the poorest in the country.
Syphan Buri Province: One hour north by car from Bangkok, a typical agricultural village in central Thailand.
Having invesitgated the cervical cancer incidence in Thailand, PHJ decided that the cervical cancer prevention program could prove effective. PHJ consulted with the National Cancer Institute of Thailand about the sites to implement the programs. Starting in 2001, implementation took place in 6 distrcits: Kornsawa District (with about 20,000 target women), Kraew District (with about 19,500 target womren), Kraew District (with about 19,500 target women), Nong Sanga District (with about 9,800 target women), and Chatras Distrcit (with about 30,000 target women) in Caiyaphum Province; and Kornsawa District (with about 22,000 target women), and Dong Chedi District (with about 17,000 target women) in Suphan Buri Province. When the program ended, we achieved the objective of 50% of target women taking the examination.
※Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is caused by infection from human papillomavirus (HPV). Most women with sexual experience are infected at least once. Some women may suffer from the infection for a prolonged period that may lead to cell deformation causing cancer cell. However, such growth can be prevented by periodic examinations and early-stage treatments. This is why the cervical cancer is regarded as a preventable and curable type of cancer.