A new program is allowing more Renfrew County women to get cancer screenings.
The Ottawa Valley Ontario Health Team has announced its offering “pap clinics” to those without family doctors.
It hopes to draw women, between ages 21 and 70, who haven’t had a pap test in three years.
A pap test is a procedure that removes cell samples to test for cervix cancer, among other cancers.
Clinics are now being set up with health partners located across the county, including in Barry’s Bay and Eganville.
To register for the clinics, visit www.rcvtac.ca/paptest or call the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre at 1-844-727-6404. The tests are covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, so there’s no financial barriers to access.
As part of the program, some participating organizations, including Madawaska Valley Family Health Team, are also offering a range of “well-woman services.”
This includes pap and breast exams, birth control options, initial prenatal assessments, and mammogram ordering.
Health Team officials say the pap screening tests “offers attendees an unparalleled opportunity to detect and treat cervical cancer in its early stages, promising better health outcomes.”
“Furthermore, these tests play an instrumental role in identifying precancers and ensuring timely intervention.”