Polytechnic And Cancer Association Team Up to Diagnose Cervical Cancer

Nico Smit

27 April 2011

Through its School of Health and Applied Science, the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) which will see it engaging in the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Windhoek on Wednesday, PoN Rector, Tjama Tjivikua, said that if diagnosed early enough, some cancers such as cervical cancer can be treated successfully and many lives can be saved. The PoN rector said this requires cooperation and partnership of all involved, as well as the need to continue with ongoing research.

Signing the MoU on behalf of CAN was the association’s Chief Executive Officer, Reinette Koegelenberg, who said that at least one third of all cancer cases are preventable, and that prevention offers the most cost-effective long term strategy for the control of the disease.

Koegelenberg said that there are two major components of early detection of cancer, namely education to promote early diagnosis and screening. Pap smears are one form of screening, and is a simple test across a healthy population in order to identify individuals who have the disease but do not yet show any symptoms, the CAN CEO said.

CAN fights cancer and its consequences on a countrywide level in an attempt to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of health for all. Tjivikua said that the association aims to educate the general public on the causes, prevention and dangers of cancer.

The PoN rector said that his institution is well positioned to enter into the agreement with the CAN on the diagnosis of cervical cancer as it offers the only qualification in biomedical sciences or medical technology in Namibia.

As a result, the PoN also has the “required expertise and state-of-the-art laboratories suitable to render pap smear analyses. Medical technology is a primary means of ascertaining the status of diseases, and we are happy to put our knowledge and systems to good use,” Tjivikua said.

As part of its obligations under the agreement with CAN, the PoN will, within a period of 30 days from the date on which the agreement was signed, present the cancer association with a copy of its approved laboratory licence.

Once this is done, the PoN will collect Pap smear slides from CAN for analysis, and will deliver patient reports within three weeks from the date of collection. “Based on past experience, we believe that between 8 000 and 10 000 samples will be analysed by our scientists per annum,” the PoN Rector said.

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