KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 17,751 women police officers and personnel in the country will undergo screening for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to detect early cervical cancer.
Royal Malaysia Police corporate communications head Datuk Asmawati Ahmad said the screening test, which is the result of a collaboration with the ROSE (Removing Obstacles to Cervical Screening) Foundation, aims to make early detection of cervical cancer among female members of the police force.
“Many women police officers and personnel work hard as frontline officers but do not have the opportunity to give extra attention to their own health.
“So through this programme, it will help them to make early detection of diseases like cervical cancer” she said at a press conference after attending the ‘Frontliners Uniting Against Cervical Cancer’ programme at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters (IPK) here, today.
Also present at the event were Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief (DCP) Datuk Yong Lei Choo, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre head of obstetrics and gynaecology department, Professor Datuk Dr Siti Zawiah Omar and technical adviser for ROSE Foundation, Professor Dr Woo Yin Ling.
Asmawati said the free screening programme, sponsored by Etiqa Cares, was first carried out at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters and now, a total of 500 police staff at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent have been selected to undergo the screening test and this will continue with all the 13 contingents in the country.
“Selection is based on two criteria, namely the B40 (Bottom 40) group because the test can cost RM250 to RM300 per person and also those in the age range of 30 to 65 years as they are more at risk of developing cancer,“ she added.
She said, so far, 10 police personnel in the country have been detected with cervical cancer, with three of them having succumbed to the disease.-Bernama
