By Dr Quek Swee Chong

I recently returned from the Himalayas where we ran a women’s health camp in Ladakh. We were able to screen more than 1900 women over the course of 5 days, using a combination of VIA, Colposcopy using the Gynocular and a standard colposcope. We identified more than a hundred cases of cervical pre-cancer and I performed treatment on them using a combination of LEEP and thermal coagulation, depending on the type of Transformation Zone indicating the extent of disease involving the endocervical canal.

The camp was based at the Ladakh Heart Foundation in Leh and we saw #women from the surrounding villages in Ladakh. I brought a team of 16 from Singapore, comprising 5 gynaecologists, 4 nurses and 7 healthcare workers. The Gynocular device performed admirably well and we were able to document the findings by using the mobile phone adaptor, and also provide training based on the images we obtained.

We have trained a local doctor in the use of the #Gynocular and the plan is for her to continue to screen women using the device. In future, clinical photographs of cases where she may queries about will be transmitted for my review in Singapore so that we can plan management for these patients.

Dr Quek Swee Chong is Clinical Director at Parkway Gynaecology Screening & Treatment Centre, Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore