Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has thanked City Pharmacy Limited (CPL) and the Sir Brian Bell Foundation for their work in making testing for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) easier and more affordable.
Marape expressed his gratitude following an agreement signed by the two companies that will see a test clinic set up at CPL’s Stop N Shop in Badili, Port Moresby.
CPL and the Sir Brian Bell Foundation will work together to provide machines to enable non-invasive screening for women with a high risk of HPV for K20 ($7.50) per test.
HPV can cause cervical cancer and is spread through intimate contact. In PNG, it is among the highest causes of death in women.
“I am both glad and humbled to read of CPL and Sir Brian Bell Foundation going out there of their own volition, pooling together their resources, and coming up with this initiative,” Marape said.
“Both Sir Mahesh Patel and the late Sir Brian Bell come from pharmaceutical backgrounds. They have invested heavily into our country, and although Sir Brian is gone, Sir Mahesh still recognises the value of health care and early detection of illnesses which are essential in prevention and cure.
“For our women, non-invasive and affordable testing that is clearly accessible means they are more willing to come forward for screening and testing.”
The agreement between CPL and the Sir Brian Bell Foundation follows Ok Tedi Mining’s own drive to make HPV screening more accessible.
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