In a volunteer medical outreach venture organized by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Barbara M. Frain, MS, SCT (ASCP), CM, Clinical Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, and 10 colleagues from around the country are helping medical officials in Botswana work through a backlog of Pap smears.
“I’m interested in seeing how they do this in another part of the world, and I hope my skills can help someone out,” said Ms. Frain of the upcoming trip to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
The Botswana government has initiated a national cervical cancer prevention program, which resulted in a large number of Pap exams but led to a shortage of professionals to read the slides, said Shannon Castle, Director of the Center for Global Health at ASCP. The society previously sent teams to Botswana to work on a backlog of more than 2,000 histology specimens.
“There are seven cytotechnologists in all of Botswana,” Ms. Castle said. “To add 10 more cytotechnologists can really have an impact in improving the delivery of care.” ■
