Tahiti, June 26, 2024 – Every month since the start of the year, the Health Department has organized a health promotion day. A moment of exchange and debate around good health habits between passers-by and specialists. This Wednesday, June 26 at Bougainville Park, the Cancer Institute in French Polynesia found a place among the stands as part of Green June, awareness month against cervical cancer. Its objective: to raise awareness about screening and vaccination against the papillomavirus, responsible for this cancer.
This Wednesday, June 26 at Bougainville Park, health is in the spotlight. Whether it be good sporting habits, with stands encouraging the practice of activities, or food, with a stand to discuss good ways of eating, where many young people were able, despite the fear of public, say loud and clear what you need to do to eat well: “Instead of drinking Coke, you can make a juice with fa’a’apu fruits”.
And of course, good medical habits, with numerous prevention stands. Like the one on suicide and mental health awareness and another which allows you to do a quick health check-up: “We will check the blood sugar level for diabetes, blood pressure to see if we do not have hypertension and also have our BMI checked”explains an organizer. And other stands on cancer prevention, and the need to go and get screened.
Philippe Biarez, Director of Health present on site, takes advantage of these days to “make people want to be healthy themselves”, he says. “By getting them to discuss, we realize that many people have very interesting ideas..” Unfortunately, this enthusiasm does not carry over to all stands. In particular on that of the Cancer Institute in French Polynesia (ICPF), present exceptionally as part of Green June, to raise awareness of cervical cancer, and on the launch of coverage for the vaccine against papillomavirus , responsible for cervical cancer in women and other cancers in men.
Cancer screening
However, many people come to speak with Doctor Laurent Stien, head of the screening center at the ICPF. “People are very interested, especially because they don’t know about the papillomavirus, don’t make the connection with cancer and don’t know that a vaccine has existed for 20 years.”, continues the taote. The message he wants to send today: “Cervical cancer is preventable. Firstly, by having regular screening smears between the ages of 25 and 65 for women, and secondly, by vaccinating against the papillomavirus, a vaccination that must be done before coming into contact with the virus, therefore in boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 14.”
Cancer is a scourge that Patricia Grand knows well. Present during this awareness day for the League Against Cancer association, she reminds us that we must not wait for something bad to happen to get screened. So she calls, again and again, for screening, even if it can be scary. And above all, calls for people to be made aware of this fact, and not to give up in the face of cancer. “You have the right to be afraid, but you don’t have the right to do nothing.”
