Final conference of the Programme "European progress"

2017-11-17

Representatives of the National Cancer Screening Office from Nationa IPH of Serbia,  Batut, took part in the final conference of the Programme "European progress", Meeting of health professionals as partners in the Campaign to "Find the time".   As a part of the campaign, different I/E/C activities during the month of October and November covered territory of the nine municipalities and resulted in great interest of women for a free gynecological examinations (733 women were examined during the „Day open door").  Campaign, financed by the EU, goverment of Svicerland and Republic of Serbia, as part of the program of European PROGRESS, took place in the deprived municipalities of south of Serbia: Aleksinac, Bela Palanka, Brus, Gadžin Han, Doljevac, Knjaževac, Merošina and Svrljig.

Dr. Vesna Knjeginjić, assistant minister for Public Health in the MoH, supporthing the Campaign "Find the Time",noted "by hard work of the Ministry of Health, in the creation and implementation of the program of prevention, along with all other  health care plans ensured the basis for further development. The campaign was carried out by a variety of I/E/C activities during the month of October and November 2017th, in the nine municipalities and resulted in good response of women for free gynecological examinations (733 women get looked at during the "Day open doors").

Graham Tindal, Manager of development program European PROGRESS, thanked the local partners, physicians and nurses, on participation and support in the implementation of the campaign.

"This number of visits shows that adequate public incentive and support result in  more women opting to conduct preventive examinations. That's why it is reccomended that national institutions and local governments, civil society and the media, but in also developmental programs such as the European Progress, even more intensly  work on raising awareness and creating the conditions for  better access to health care of women. Womens health is important both for them and their families, as well as for whole society ".  Nine specified municipalities received new medical equipment for gynecological surgeries worth more than 100,000 euros and organized the free gynecological check-ups for all women. For thet they recived a help from European Union and Government of Switzerland.

Dr sc Katarina Boričić, from the IPH "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut",  said "Serbia is fourth in Europe when it comes to morbidity of cervical cancer, and CC mortality is second in Europe after Romania".  She also spoke of measures of primary prevention that will stop infection with human papilloma virus (HPV). 58 countries have introduced in their national immunization programs of HPV vaccine for girls, and in some countries men and boys.

Snežana Pantić Aksentijević, Assistent for Programed healthcare in departement of Public Health of MoH, said thet the next steps of MoH are to strengthen the role of local governments, through the health education and the implementation of policies in this their respective areas. They will support education of health professionals and public, as well as Programes of health promotion and healthy lifestyles changes.  

Dr. Bojana Milošević specialist gynecology and obstetrics, coordinator for cervical cancer screening, the screeningoffice of IPH "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut",  noted that effective and efficient Population based Programes of screening for CC cancer, in combination with immunisation, and programes for primary prevention,  is an opportunity to finaly eliminate cervical cancer. " She presented the results of the First cycle of CC screening in Serbia.

 

Doc Dr Aleksandar Karanikolić, head of the Department of breast and endocrine surgery, KC Nis noted it was important that women routinely  do self-examination tests and visit ultrasound and mammographic units, because early diagnosis ensures better outcomes of treatment.