FALMOUTH, Trelawny — The Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Falmouth Public General Hospital is now better equipped to combat cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Jamaican women, with Monday’s handing over of medical equipment valued at US$40,000 by Jamaican-born US-based gynaecologist Dr Barrington Murray.

Among the items presented was a colposcope machine, which is used in screening for cervical cancer. There had been none at the hospital before the donation, and patients who needed to have a colposcopy done had to travel to Cornwall Regional Hospital in the neighbouring parish of St James.

Dr Murray, who said he was surprised to learn that cervical cancer is one of the major causes of death in women in Jamaica, explained why the donated machine was vital and how it will help.

“If the pap smear is abnormal, that patient should need a colposcopy,” he explained. “That is pretty much a microscope that you look at the cervix and then you can take a biopsy, take a piece of the cervix and send it to the pathologist and he could tell you,” he explained.

He said when he heard there was no colposcope machine at Falmouth Hospital he was determined to fix that.

“If you can identify before it has gotten to the stage where it becomes cancerous, that person can be easily cured. So, the ability to do it is going to save a lot of lives,” said Dr Murray.

The donated equipment also included an electrosurgical unit which is also used to combat cervical cancer.

“If the colposcopy does not look normal, as long as it’s not cancer, you can use the electrosurgical unit and remove that area where there are abnormalities and that patient will be fine,” the gynaecologist explained.

Head of the hospital’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Christopher Daley expressed gratitude for Dr Murray’s generosity.

“The [World Health Organization] has given us this mandate to decrease the incidence of cervical cancer which, as he said, is one of the leading cancers. In fact, it is the leading gynaecological cancer in Jamaica at the moment. So there is a big thrust in terms of efforts made in order to do so; the colposcope is a welcome addition to this,” said Dr Daley, who is an obstetrician and gynaecological oncologist.

“It’s very timely, because of my subspecialties… I’ve been sponsored and finished a fellowship, specifically aimed at reducing cancer amongst women. And the colposcope now is really part of the plan and the mission statement that we’re presently putting together; not only for Falmouth but for the western region, in order to reinforce strategies,” he added.

Dr Murray also handed over equipment that will enhance maternity care in Jamaica and he intends to keep working closely with Dr Rodean Wallace whom he has known for years. Dr Wallace is an obstetrician and gynaecologist specialist at Falmouth Hospital.

“We are hoping that over time we could get women’s health here to basically be among the best, not just in Jamaica but among the best in the world. That’s our hope. The reason why we started to focus on women’s health is because, obviously, when you focus on women’s health you’re also focusing on their children, and without the children, obviously we have no future,” said Dr Murray.