Sagicor Life offers free pap smears today, tomorrow
Sagicor Life Jamaica announced yesterday that it will be offering free pap smear screenings to Sagicor health card holders today, Monday, April 29 and tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30 at the company’s paramedic unit at its head office on Barbados Avenue in New Kingston.
Individuals without Sagicor health cards will also be able to access screenings, but at a discounted cost, Sagicor said.
The insurance giant said the free screenings form part of its activities in observance of Cancer Awareness Month and is being executed in partnership with the Jamaica Cancer Society, which itself is focusing on cervical cancer for the month, with the theme: ‘Cervical Cancer is the Most Preventable Cancer…Do Your Pap Smear’.
Carol Lawrence, vice-president, Group Insurance, Sagicor Life, shared that Sagicor is keen on playing its role in raising awareness about the importance of early detection in the fight against cervical cancer, as well as providing value-added services such as the provision of free or discounted health checks to its clients and the wider public.
“At Sagicor, we are committed to supporting our clients’ overall well-being and health goals and as such, from time to time, we will offer free screenings for varying health checks to help ease the financial burden that can come with doing health-related tests,” she said.
Registration for the pap smear screenings will start at 9:00 am on both days, with screenings closing at 3:00 pm.
Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Jamaican women between the ages of 30 and 50 years. The Human Papillomavirus, transmitted primarily via sexual contact, is responsible for 90 per cent of all cervical cancers.
Shullian Brown, public relations officer at Jamaica Cancer Society, says late-stage diagnosis is not only painful, but costs millions of dollars to treat. That is among the reasons the society is encouraging women to do regular screenings for early detection and treatment of abnormal cell changes.
“Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers; so, it is important to have your pap smear done each year. We have joined with Sagicor Life on this initiative because that is the message we want to get out there,” Brown said.
