Gynecologists from the Republic of Moldova will be trained in the field of cervical cancer prevention within the International Program on Colposcopy and Precancerous Cervical Lesions Management. This training program, which was launched on June 19, is a result of the regional cooperation partnership between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova and the UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, IPN reports.
“The main purpose of colposcopy is not to identify cancer but to detect, describe and treat precancerous lesions to prevent cervical cancer. Cervical lesions, once identified at precancerous stage, can be treated simply and cost-effectively in the ambulatory care settings. Once the colposcopy specialists are trained, most cases can be treated at the level of rayon,” State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Rodica Scutelnic said at the launch event.
Every day, a woman in the Republic of Moldova is diagnosed with cervical cancer, and every two days a woman dies of cervical cancer. In a news conference, Rodica Scutelnic said the death rate from cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer among women. In 60% of the cases, the women suffering from this disease see a doctor too late, when the treatment is less efficient.
The launch of the training program took place in the framework of the first official visit to the Republic of Moldova of the UNFPA Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Asia, Alanna Armitage. “Preventing cervical cancer is one of UNFPA’s top priorities in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, where the number of cases of cervical cancer is ten times higher than in Western Europe,” said Alanna Armitage. She noted that this training program is organized for the first time in the Republic of Moldova and is designed to offer the specialists opportunities to obtain international certification.
“The Moldovan Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, which was instituted in June 2016, has the mission to improve quality of the colposcopy services in the Republic of Moldova by promoting good practices, providing quality professional expertise, improving the cervical screening program, providing professional training for colposcopy specialists,” said Iurie Dondiuc, President of the Moldovan Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology and director of the Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 1.
Iurie Dondiuc reiterated that this incurable disease can be prevented if it is detected early. This can be ensured by the vaccination of girls who didn’t start the sexual life and by cervical cancer screening among women aged between 25 and 61 years, once every three years.
The training program will last six months, from June to December 2017. It contains both theoretical and practical sessions, as well as on-line modules that include lectures by international experts and practical case studies.
