Summit calls for action to help fight cervical cancer

A SUMMIT is being held at the Scottish Parliament calling for urgent action to combat cervical cancer.

Tomorrow’s event, run by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and hosted by Edinburgh South MSP Jim Eadie, is bringing together leading health and political figures, including Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald, to debate the issue.

The charity’s director Robert Music said: “According to latest figures from NHS Scotland, a fifth of women eligible for screening in Scotland don’t attend their appointment and in women aged 20-24 it is even worse, with more than double that number failing to go.

“Urgent action needs to be taken to raise awareness of vaccination and of cervical cancer symptoms and screening and to boost falling numbers.

“At 90 per cent, the uptake of HPV vaccination in Scotland is excellent but young women need to know that because they have had their jabs it does not mean they will not need screening.”