Pap tests offered as a regular service in the Municipality of Prishtina

12.07.2017

Prishtina, 12 July 2017-

Pap tests continue to be offered as a regular service in the primary health care level in the Municipality of Prishtina. The pilot program implemented during 2016 enabled over 2,000 women in Prishtina. The pilot phase led to the identification of cases with cellular changes, with potential to lead to cervical cancer, at an early stage, thus enabling their successful treatment.

“As a result of successful piloting last year, the screening service is continuing in the municipality of Prishtina, hence all women women of ages 21 to 65 are invited to have their Pap smears in one of the Family Medicine Centers in Prishtina, such as Women Wellness Center in Qafa, Family Medicine Center 5 in Ulpiana, and Family Medicine Center 6 in Kodra e Diellit. All informative materials are now available in the family medicine centers in Prishtina, which women can contact for appointments,” says Dafina Krasniqi, program coordinator at Action for Mothers and Children.

The continuation of this program represents a priority in the Health Sectorial Strategy and the National Board for Cancer Control and is implemented with the support of the Municipal Directory for Health and Social Welfare, so that Pap tests are offered as a regular service in the primary health care level. This program led to improved cooperation among the primary and tertiary health care levels, among others, and was accompanied by capacity building training for medical staff in the tertiary health care level regarding the pathological analysis performed in the scope of the screening program.

As a result of continuation of this service, Action for Mothers and Children has launched the informative campaign accessible via www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0azXlBHmFY&list=PLJHEJ1W5Ncy4kPEn2elNXPF6rDD38Rkwg&index=1.

The screening program is also supported by the Ministry of Health, the National Board for Cancer Control, the Institute of Pathology within the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, National Institute for Public Health in Kosovo, United Nations Population Fund – UNFPA (Kosovo Office), World Health Organization – WHO (Kosovo Office), and the non-governmental organization Action for Mothers and Children.