The provincial cervical screening program will be enhanced with a technology upgrade to use Liquid Based Cytology (LBC). The new technology will provide an improved service as part of a comprehensive provincial plan to implement an organized approach to cervical cancer screening and improve the health of women in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"The LBC technology will increase the pick up of significant cytologic abnormalities, resulting in appropriate medical management of this preventable disease," said the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services. "This is a significant step towards ensuring the best cervical cancer screening services are provided to women across this province."

The announcement came during the sixth annual Pap Test Awareness Week in Newfoundland and Labrador which runs from October 22-28. Pap Test Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of the risks of cervical cancer and the benefits of screening for all women, as cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that is almost entirely preventable with appropriate screening.

"Newfoundland and Labrador has a higher incidence of cervical cancer than the national average and approximately 70 per cent of women in our province do not have their annual pap test that can contribute to reducing this statistic," said Minister Osborne. "Through an increased focus on public education regarding the importance of cervical screening, we can increase the uptake of cervical screening and reduce the incidence of cervical cancer among women in our province."

Government invested $1.5 million in Budget 2006 to provide this upgrade in screening technology, as well as to implement the Cervical Screening Initiatives Program into the Labrador-Grenfell region and expand the program in the rural areas of Eastern region. This investment has resulted in full implementation of the program in all areas of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Pap Test Awareness Week is coordinated by the Cervical Screening Initiatives Program which is managed by Western Health. The program educates the public and professionals; recruits women for screening; and is improving the health system infrastructure necessary to provide the highest quality in cervical cancer screening.

Media contact:

Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca

2006 10 27                              10:55 a.m.