The Pap smear was invented by Dr. Papanicolaou in Greece and adopted as a screening tool by the American Cancer Society in the 1940s. In Haiti, due to multiple barriers, pap smears are not routinely performed. THE RESULTS:

 

*Haiti has one of the highest reported incidences of cervical cancer of any country in the world, with 94 cases per 100,000 population;

*Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Haitian women with an estimated 1,500 deaths annually;

*This is 50 times higher than the rate in the United States, where pap tests have dramatically decreased cervical cancer mortality.

 

Yet, there is hope for the millions of women in Haiti. IHDO's annual HEALTH SCREENING campaign enlists a team of volunteer physicians and nurses to provide pap smears to thousands of Haitian women.  Most importantly, IHDO trains Haitian nurses and physicians how to do a Pap smear, so that they may continue this lifesaving preventative care for years to come.

 

All of the Pap smears done during IHDO's Annual Health Screening Campaign in cities and towns throughout Haiti are read by a pathologist in Port au Prince who donates his time to IHDO. They announce on the radio when it is time for patients to come back to their respective clinics for their pap results.    

Dedicated staff members in Haiti are responsible for spreading the word about the Pap smear campaign. They also follow up. If a patient has an abnormal Pap smear, but cannot be reached by phone, a dedicated staff member will ride on a motorcycle to the town where the patient lives, give her the results, and ensure that she receives follow-up treatment -- regardless of ability to pay!

What is so remarkable about the HEALTH SCREENING campaign is that not only are Pap smears done, but complete physical exams are performed as well. Hypertension, infectious diseases, diabetes and more are all diagnosed and treatment prescribed, well before any of our patients would have sought care. 

 

We are changing the healthcare paradigm in Haiti to focus on critically-needed preventative care.