Self-Screening for Cervical Cancer Boosts Women's Participation

Cervical cancer remains one of the primary health concerns for women in Indonesia. The disease often develops without symptoms due to undetected high-risk HPV infections. PT Prodia Widyahusada Tbk, in collaboration with Roche Indonesia’s Diagnostics Division, has launched the My HPV-Test service, which uses self-collection sampling. This provides convenience, comfort, and privacy for women undergoing HPV screening. The initiative is a concrete support for the National Action Plan, which emphasises pentahelix collaboration to accelerate nationwide early detection coverage. Unlike conventional methods, My HPV-Test allows women to collect samples themselves using a specialised swab, even from home, without needing healthcare professionals. The test uses Real-Time PCR to detect 14 high-risk HPV genotypes linked to cervical cancer, including types 16 and 18, which cause most global cervical cancer cases. This approach aims to increase women’s participation in regular screening through a more comfortable and convenient experience. Prodia ensures easy access through digital integration. The screening service is available via the U by Prodia app, giving women full control to conduct early detection independently with ease and comfort. ‘We want screening to become part of a regular, empowering healthy lifestyle. With Roche Indonesia, we’re providing Indonesian women with direct access to manage their health—from ordering kits via the U By Prodia app, comfortable self-sampling, to quick and accurate results,’ said Liana Kuswandi, Prodia’s President Director. Lee Poh Seng, Roche Indonesia’s Diagnostics Division Director, also highlighted that a pilot study conducted with the Ministry of Health, Jhpiego, and Bio Farma in Surabaya showed 75% of target women successfully completed self-testing with nearly 99% sample accuracy. This proves self-collection effectively addresses psychological barriers and discomfort in screening. (Ant/I-2)