KHOKANA, LALITPUR
Khokana is a small village development committee on the outskirts of Kathmandu valley and located in Lalitpur district. Khokana has a population of 4927 people who are primarily Newar, the natives of the Kathmandu valley.
Khokana was selected as screening site primarily due to the homogeneity in population as well as it being relatively untouched by migration. A screening camp was conducted in Khokana on February12, 2013. This was done in collaboration with the local Khokana Women’s Co-operative. Women were screened for the following:
- HPV and Cervical Cancer using HPV test and Pap smear
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- STI
- Urine
- Blood Pressure
A Nepal Health Research Council’s ERB approved questionnaire was used to collect information to assess knowledge related to HPV and cervical cancer. All women who could read and write were provided the questionnaire to fill by themselves whereas, illiterate women were provided an enumerator who interviewed them and filled the questionnaire. The questionnaire was in the local language and the enumerators all spoke Newari. A consent form by each woman who chose to participate in the study.
The results were distributed with the help of the same women’s co-operative with whom the camp was conducted. All positive women were referred for requisite screening or treatment to the Bhaktapur Cancer hospital.