Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage is encouraging local women to sign up to the NHS Cervical Screening Programme as part of Cervical Screening Awareness Week.
The Cervical Screening Programme aims to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer by regularly screening those at risk so that conditions which may develop into invasive cancer can be identified and treated.
Through the Cervical Screening Programme, over 3 million women are screened every year and experts estimate that this saves up to 4500 lives annually in England alone.
Caroline commented:
"So far, the Cervical Screening Programme has been a great success but coverage rates among women have fallen slightly over the last decade. I would urge all women who are eligible for screening to take up the opportunity and find out whether they are at risk of developing this disease."
Cervical Screening Awareness Week is taking place from 8-14th June this year. For more information about the Cervical Screening Programme, visit: www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/index.html.