Behind the Science: Enhancing Cervical Most cancers Screening in Rwanda

Interviewee: Dr. Katherine Grey; UBC Obstetrics and Gynaecology resident, PGY-2 | Authors/Editors: Romina Garcia de leon, Shayda Swann (Weblog Co-coordinators)

Printed: July fifth, 2024

Are you able to inform me about your analysis?

I’m a primary 12 months resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Ob/Gyn) on the College of British Columbia (UBC). I began doing international well being analysis throughout the theme of girls’s well being in my fourth 12 months of medical college. My analysis centered totally on fairness and care surrounding ladies’s well being in Rwanda.

I initially delved right into a undertaking centered round enhancing entry to cervical most cancers screening for ladies in Rwanda. Since then, my endeavors have expanded to numerous tasks throughout the realm of Ob/Gyn care in Rwanda. One noteworthy initiative I spearheaded was the optimization of cervical most cancers screening and accessibility in Rwanda by gaining insights from healthcare suppliers. My examine, which concluded final 12 months, seemed on the practices of Ob/Gyns, nurse midwives, and household medical doctors relating to cervical most cancers screening, shedding gentle on the challenges they encounter.

Moreover, I have been concerned in numerous analysis themes in Rwanda, together with an exploration of preterm untimely rupture of membranes and the present tips, evaluating them to Canadian requirements of care. I’ve additionally investigated operative vaginal deliveries in Rwanda, and my present focus lies on varied aspects of cervical most cancers screening.

Are there any findings out of your analysis that you just’d like to focus on?

From my examine on healthcare supplier views, lots of the findings did align with related research in different low-resource settings. One outstanding theme that emerged is the numerous barrier posed by sufferers’ information and training ranges relating to cervical most cancers and screening. Many sufferers exhibit a restricted understanding of both the illness or the screening course of, which restricted their engagement with screening initiatives.

Moreover, the coaching of healthcare suppliers in conducting cervical most cancers screening emerged as one other influential think about accessing screening. A small subset of physicians and nurses obtain formal coaching on find out how to conduct screening, resulting in a scarcity of proficient suppliers. This scarcity of skilled professionals was constantly cited as a barrier to screening by each supplier interviewed in my examine. Total, the coaching panorama seems inconsistent, leading to notable gaps in screening and subsequent care provision.

How did you become involved with this type of work?

In my fourth 12 months of medical college, I knew that I wished to pursue Ob/Gyn and I’ve all the time been curious about international well being. I used to be related with my analysis supervisor, Dr. Marianne Vidler and acquired concerned together with her work and the theme of worldwide well being and maternity care in Rwanda. I’ve been and concerned ever since! I’m immensely grateful for the chance to proceed my residency at UBC, because it allows me to maintain my analysis endeavors alongside my distinctive crew, each in Canada and Rwanda.

What affect do you hope to see with the work you’re doing?

My analysis is devoted to figuring out and understanding the boundaries hindering each sufferers from accessing care and suppliers from delivering it successfully. By comprehending these obstacles, we purpose to take proactive steps in direction of enhancing screening accessibility. With a major deal with understanding these boundaries, my purpose is to progress in direction of devising methods and implementing them successfully.

Presently, my crew and I are delving into the idea of self-collection for HPV testing in Rwanda. This methodology has gained prominence, notably in British Columbia, primarily due to its heightened sensitivity in comparison with conventional Pap smears in cervical most cancers screening. Our analysis will contain integrating this extra delicate and environment friendly method, which permits people to self-collect samples, into Rwanda’s healthcare infrastructure.

Wanting forward, I hope that I can proceed engaged on the combination of HPV DNA testing and self-collection strategies in Rwanda. By doing so, I hope to make clear how these improvements can considerably improve entry to and charges of cervical most cancers screening within the area.