PAP ASAP! – IFMSA-Pakistan

Name of the activity: PAP ASAP!

Country/NMO: IFMSA-Pakistan

Program: Maternal Health and Access to Safe Abortion

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: First-time Activity

Category: Education

Focus area: Maternal Healthcare Services (antenatal, antepartum and postpartum care), Cervical Cancer

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being)

General description:

The activity “PAP ASAP!” was conducted to spread awareness about cervical cancer, its methods of transmission and prevention, mainly focusing on the PAP smear which is an easily available screening procedure to detect cervical cancer. The activity organising team planned a capacity-building interactive session named “papshop” and an awareness walk on campus to help the students learn about the topic and get hands-on learning experience on taking pap smears using mannequins. 

Problem statement:

Despite being one of the most preventable & treatable forms of cancer, cervical cancer ranks to be the fourth commonest cancer in women worldwide. Cervical cancer mainly affects sexually active women aged between 30 & 45. Morbidity & mortality rates for cervical cancer are very high in Pakistan as cervical cancer is ignored in terms of screening, prevention & vaccination with more than 70% of cervical cancer patients reporting with very advanced stage of malignancy.

Target groups:

• Medical students
• Healthcare Students

Beneficiaries:

• Medical students
• Healthcare Students
• Women

Objectives:

• To increase knowledge among at least 30 medical students through a educational learning session about cervical cancer (mode of transmission, causative agent, screening techniques) and address barriers that cause its high mortality rate in Pakistan, the session is to be delivered by Professional Gynaecologist. 

• To increase awareness among at least 30 participants about primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary prevention approaches and teach them techniques to take a PAP smear with hands-on practice. 

Indicators:

• At least 30 participants participate in the educational learning session about cervical cancer (mode of transmission, causative agent, screening techniques) and are able to address barriers that cause its high mortality rate in Pakistan

• At least 20 participants should be capacitated on how to take a pap smear. At least 35% of the participants show an increase in knowledge of cervical cancer and its prevention approaches assessed by comparison between pre and post-event questionnaires.

Methodology:

• A educational learning session will be conducted in a lecture hall about cervical cancer (mode of transmission, causative agent, screening techniques) and address barriers that cause its high mortality rate in Pakistan, the session is to be delivered by Professional Gynaecologist through collaboration with the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of CMH Lahore Medical College.
• Hands-on pap smear training will be given to all participants in collaboration with chugtai lab using a mannequin
• For the purpose of maintaining continuous communication, briefing for all purposes and sharing of all relevant material: a WhatsApp group will be formed with the activity participants.
• A pre-evaluation form will be provided to the participants before the start of the session and a  post-evaluation form will be provided to the participants at the end of the session.
• Feedback about the session and presenter will be taken at the end of the session.

Plans for evaluation:

Plans for Evaluation:

– Social media outreach

– Number of participants attending the educational learning session

– Pre- and post-evaluation forms to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of participants regarding cervical cancer

– Impact assessment of participants after the pap smear activity

– Feedback forms for the activity

Plans for Monitoring:

– Online meetings will be regularly held to discuss activity organisation

– Creating a task sheet to delegate work to the Organising Committee members

– Compare timeline with ongoing work

– Tracking the progress of Organising Committee members through a task sheet.

External collaborations:

1- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Combined Military Hospital Lahore Medical College, one of their faculty members addressed the educational learning session on cervical cancer. 

2- Chughtai Lab; they helped us arrange the pap smear hands-on activity.