SHAH ALAM – It takes less than five minutes to do a human papillomavirus (HPV) test, which is provided free of charge to female visitors at the Selangor chapter of the Jelajah Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia or Malaysian Family Aspirations Tour, which will last for three days starting today.
The test only involves the use of a swab tool provided, and is performed by oneself in total privacy on board a mobile bus from Universiti Putra Malaysia Teaching Hospital.
Supervisor Azlina Adnan said visitors can perform the test in less than five minutes by following eight simple steps displayed in a special room for them to do the test.
She said that the specimen will be tested once the process is completed, and it will take two weeks to obtain the screening test results.
“If the test results are positive (for cervical cancer), we will notify the individual to seek follow-up treatment,” she said.
Azlina reiterated that the test was very easy to do in a special room provided, without the need for any doctor or nurse present, by using swab tools provided by the hospital free of charge.
She said that, in addition to self-testing for HPV, services such as basic eye and skin tests and breast self-examination demonstrations are also provided at the mobile booth, located near the sales tent site.
One of the visitors, Intan Nuryanti Berahim, 40, said female visitors should take the opportunity to get cervical cancer screenings free of charge from today until Sunday, as the test is very easy to do without any pain.
“I did the test as I happened to be here. If you want to do it some other time, you may face time constraints, as all of us are working, and waiting for our turn at the government hospital usually takes time.
“I didn't expect that the test was as easy as doing a self-test for Covid-19, and the important thing is that it doesn’t hurt, unlike the previous method, which was painful,” she said.
The three-day tour, which opened today, has lined up various programmes and interesting activities for members of the public, especially the people of Selangor, at the grounds of Shah Alam Stadium.
Themed “Usahawan Keluarga Malaysia Penggerak Ekonomi Negara” (Malaysian Family Entrepreneurs Driving the National Economy), the eighth edition of the tour series was organised by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry, and involved about 100 small and medium industry entrepreneurs. – Bernama, August 19, 2022
