Gangtok, Sikkim, India, 19–21 March 2013 This training course on cervical cancer screening (by visual inspection, with or without colposcopy) and treatment (by cold coagulation or cryotherapy) was designed for medical providers of all levels (i.e. gynaecologists, general practitioners, nurses, midwives, and health workers). The course provided foundational theoretical sessions followed by intensive hands-on experience in screening by visual inspection (with and without colposcopy) and treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The 3-day course consisted of 1 day dedicated to theory (in a classroom setting) followed by 2 days of hands-on experience. It was hosted at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Gangtok and organized in collaboration with the State Government of Sikkim, which aims to establish state-wide cervical screening by visual inspection and treatment of precancerous lesions by cold coagulation or cryotherapy. The course trained master trainers for the entire state. Each participant was provided with the necessary training materials, i.e. the practical manual on visual screening for cervical neoplasia for nurses, midwives, and health workers, and the beginners’ manual on colposcopy and treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia for gynaecologists and general practitioners. All participants received a CD-ROM copy of the digital learning series, which covers visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), visual inspection with Lugol’s iodine solution (VILI), the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), and cryotherapy and cold coagulation. Participants also received quick reference visual inspection charts (for VIA and VILI). The course faculty included: - Dr P. Usha Rani Reddy (Course Director), MNJ Institute of Oncology & Regional Cancer Centre, Hyderabad, India - Dr Partha Basu, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata, India - Dr Srabani Mittal, Child In Need Institute (CINI), Kolkata, India - Dr Rengaswamy Sankaranarayanan, IARC, Lyon, France Special thanks are also due to Dr Yogesh Verma (STNM Hospital), Dr P.M. Pradhan (National Rural Health Mission), Dr R.N. Deokota (STNM Hospital), and Dr K. Bhandari (Sikkim State Secretary of Health). Watch the course videos: |