MONROVIA, Liberia — In observance of the 2026 Global Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center (JFK) has conducted a two-day free cervical cancer screening outreach in major market communities in Monrovia, reinforcing national efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat to women and girls.
The outreach took place at Rally Town Market on Wednesday, February 4, and Omega Market on Thursday, February 5, attracting a large turnout of women who voluntarily accessed the free screening services.
A total of 262 women were screened during the exercise, including 114 women at Rally Town Market and 148 at Omega Market.
This year’s observance is being marked under the national theme, “Vaccinate, Screen, and Treat, End Cervical Cancer Now.” Screenings were conducted using high-performance testing methods by trained medical professionals from JFK Medical Center, enabling early detection and treatment of precancerous conditions at no cost to beneficiaries.
Providing an overview of the significance of the awareness month, Dr. Deaze M. Saywon, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at JFK, said increasing public awareness, strengthening health literacy, and promoting early diagnosis and treatment are essential to reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality in Liberia.
Dr. Saywon praised the Ministry of Health for its continued support, noting that the success of the outreach reflects JFK’s commitment to decentralizing healthcare and bringing essential services closer to communities.
“Although JFK is the country’s largest tertiary referral hospital, we remain committed to giving back by taking quality healthcare to underserved populations,” he said.
He also commended Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto for the timely provision of advanced medical equipment to JFK Medical Center, including video colposcopy machines with stands, monitors and high-definition cameras, as well as a complete upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy tower equipped with modern cameras and scopes.
According to Dr. Saywon, the equipment will significantly enhance diagnostic and therapeutic services at the hospital and improve patient care outcomes nationwide.
Gratitude was further extended to partners, including The Women Global Cancer Initiative, CapaCare, and other collaborators whose support contributed to the success of the outreach.
“This is an initiative worth undertaking by the country’s biggest referral hospital,” Dr. Saywon said, while encouraging women across Liberia to visit JFK Medical Center for routine cervical cancer screening and to seek early treatment when necessary.
In separate interviews, several women who benefited from the outreach expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health, JFK Medical Center and partners for bringing healthcare services directly to the markets. Many also appealed to the hospital administration to consider making the outreach a biannual exercise to allow more women nationwide to benefit.
Cervical cancer develops in the cervix—the lower part of the uterus—when abnormal cells undergo DNA changes and grow uncontrollably. It is primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), transmitted through sexual contact. The disease is highly preventable through HPV vaccination and regular screening, and is often curable when detected early.
Activities marking the awareness month will climax on Friday, February 6, with a sports and awareness walk from Monrovia City Hall to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center.
