Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

World Service,03 Oct 2017,23 mins

How Cervical ‘Selfies’ are Fighting Cancer in The Gambia

People Fixing The World

Available for over a year

It’s not usually a good idea to take selfies of your private parts, but what if those photos could save your life? A new, tiny medical device is being used across Africa to detect cervical cancer from a mobile phone photograph. In Gambia, doctors are often in short supply, but nurses, midwives and smartphones are widely available, allowing patients to be diagnosed and treated remotely. In sub Saharan Africa, cervical cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in women, but it takes years to develop and can be treated for under $30 if caught early. Can cervical selfies get women talking about a silent, unseen killer? Presenter: India Rakusen Reporter: Amelia Martyn-Hemphill Image: Nurse using the EVA system in Gambia / Credit: BBC

Programme Website
More episodes