February focus on female health
Dis-Chem has prioritised female health during the month of February. What’s being offered and at what price?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies has dedicated February as a total female health month by providing women with compassionate, convenient, and comprehensive medical care. Through its network of over 200 in-store clinics across the country, Dis-Chem is supporting female health by offering several tests and screenings.
“Women have unique health issues and female self-care is critical to overall health, yet they often ignore their own wellbeing and place the health of their family before their own needs. This is the ideal time to reinforce the critical importance of women taking responsibility for their own health. Our clinics are ideally placed to offer convenient, quick and easily accessible primary healthcare services at an affordable cost,” says Lizeth Kruger, Dis-Chem’s National Clinic Manager.
Dis-Chem is encouraging all women to have an annual pap smear which is being offered at R250,00 during February. Most cervical cancers are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. Pap smears help identify abnormal cells in the cervix caused by HPV which can lead to cancer. Added to pap smears, Dis-Chem is providing general health screening, breast screening and HPV vaccinations.
Widespread immunisation with the HPV vaccine could reduce the impact of cervical cancer and other cancers caused by HPV. According to CANSA, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among South African women, and the one that most affects women.
Kruger says while the rate of cervical cancer in South Africa is extremely high, it can be successfully treated if detected in the early stages, so it is critically important that women are aware of the symptoms.
While the focus is on female health, PSA screening, a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer, is being offered to men at R120,00 per test.
“This is a shout out to all women who have not had a general female health check or pap smear for more than a year. This is a simple, quick procedure that can be life-saving,” Kruger says.
Anyone who would like to book for a pap smear or female health check can call 086 111 7427, email clinicqueries@dischem.co.za or book via the Dis-Chem app. Alternatively, ask your Dis-Chem nursing practitioner for more information.
