Cervical Cancer Screening Services in Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women, is also the primary cause of cancer-related deaths in reproductive age women in Nepal. The study aims to assess the situation of cervical cancer screening services in Nepal. Methods: This cross-sectional study used quantitative methods to understand the situation of cervical cancer screening in 572 health facilities of Nepal. Ethical approval was obtained from the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) under reference number 397/2022 P. The research was conducted to assess screening facilities, the allocation of separate screening rooms, the availability of screening services on a routine basis throughout the week, screening facilities that are free of charge, human resources, and the availability of treatment. It was conducted in October to December 2022. Results: The research was carried out among 572 healthcare facilities, out of which 134 (23.42%) had provision for cervical cancer screening services. Amongst those 134, 72 (53.73%) healthcare facilities had assigned separate rooms for screening intentions. One hundred and two (76.12%) healthcare facilities provided regular screening services throughout the week, while 112 (83.58 %) had free-of-charge screening services. Concerning trained personnel, 121 (90.30%) health facilities had personnel trained in visual inspection with Acetic acid, 9 (6.72%) had personnel trained in use of colposcopy, and 5 (3.73%) had personnel trained in use of Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP). Lastly, 31 (23.13%) healthcare facilities offered treatment choices for cervical cancer. Conclusions: Most of the health care facilities did not have provision of cervical screening. Amongst those who had the provision, personnel trained in loop electrosurgical excision procedure colposcopy is lacking.