Pilot project on cervical cancer screening ends successfully with over 1,500 free Pap-tests performed
14.12.2016
14 December, 2016 – Pilot project on cervical cancer screening was launched months ago in Prishtina providing the opportunity of free examinations, or Pap-tests, for women in the Municipality of Prishtina, in three separate Family Medicine Centers. This project enables the early identification of abnormal cells in the cervix and their successful treatment. After months of dedicated work and intra-institutional cooperation, provision of free of charge Pap-tests will continue throughout next year in the three Family Medicine Centers in Prishtina.
After a successful campaign, more than 1,500 women have been screened and results available up to date show that 10.4% of the cases require further medical examination, while 0.7% of this number have a more serious diagnosis that due to timely examination, can be successfully and cost-effectively treated.
This pilot project enabled cervical cancer screening to be performed in the primary health care level for the first time, while simultaneously improving the cooperation with the tertiary health care level, namely the Institute of Pathology in the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. With the tireless work of the primary health care medical staff, 7 specialists of family medicine have been provided on-the-job training to perform Pap-tests through this pilot project.
This pilot project is a result of the cooperation between the Department for Health and Social Welfare in Municipality of Prishtina, National Board for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health, Main Family Medicine Center in Prishtina, Institute of Pathology at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, United Nations Population Fund-UNFPA, World Health Organization-WHO, 700 for Science Foundation and is initiated and coordinated by Action for Mothers and Children.
The Municipality of Prishtina, specifically the Department for Health and Social Welfare now ensures that free Pap-tests will continue to be offered as a regular service in the Main Family Medicine Center, Family Medicine Center No. 5 and Family Medicine Center No. 6 in Prishtina even after the end of this project.
Action for Mothers and Children and other implementing partners will certainly provide their continuous support in implementing and promoting the national program of cervical cancer screening as a lawful right guaranteed by the law for all women.
Free of charge Pap-tests continue to be offered as a regular health care service in the mentioned primary health care facilities in the Municipality of Prishtina.
