It is said that about 5 billion people around the world lack access to qualified medical attention from a doctor. Come to Africa; there is still a lot of taboo surrounding reproductive health; many women shy away from seeking gynecological checkups, let alone going for cervical checks.
Though commendable strides are being made in removing the mentality that one’s private parts should remain just that; private when it comes to intimate body parts like the cervix and other body areas a gynecologist would want to check up on.
While the science community has not yet come up with a DIY (Do It Yourself) medical tools people use for gynecological checkups on their own; in the privacy of their own washrooms. They have addressed at least one problem, the shortage of gynecological experts around the world; especially in developing countries.
With stats such as the one mentioned above, 5 billion people lacking access to a doctor, health specialists like gynecologist are even fewer. There is a new medical technology that uses a typical smartphone to scan for cervical cancer in women.
The gadget, dubbed cervix selfie, take pictures of the woman’s cervix and a health practitioner reference the image with what a normal cervix should look like. In case of any variance, it prompts for a further investigation; and it has so far been used to detect the early stages of cervical cancer.
The good thing with this improvised medical gadget is that when it detects cervical cancer in its early stages. It increases the chances of the patient to beat the condition, and its treatment is increasingly reduced if diagnosed early.
As it works out, the cervix selfie helps women get access to some level of gynecological services, detect cervical cancer in its early stages, and reduces the cost of cervical cancer treatment. More details about this cervix selfie can be obtained in the video below by BBC.