A national network of colposcopy offices, which connects in real time ten regional and municipal units with the Mother and Child Institute and the Cancer Institute, was launched in the Republic of Moldova. According to officials responsible for the project, the network will ensure precise and high-quality screening results and will significantly improve the care standards for women who need colposcopy services. The Colposcopy Referral Center of the Mother and Child Institute will offer methodological support to the network of colposcopy offices created at regional hospitals. In total, there were set up 12 colposcopy offices in the North, Center and South regions, IPN reports.
In an official ceremony to launch the national network, Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco said that one or two women in the Republic of Moldova are daily diagnosed with cervical cancer and one woman dies every three days. Any cancer can be prevented if the precancerous state is diagnosed on time and the woman receives treatment. For the purpose, the woman needs to go and see a doctor, have the screening and later a colposcopy for being diagnosed on time. The avoidance of healthcare and the absence of equipment for diagnosing this disease lead to a tragic ending.
Nigina Abaszada, UNFPA Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova, said the setting up of the national network of colposcopy offices is important not only because the centers will be outfitted, but also because a community of specialists will be created and these will permanently develop professionally and will be guided by mates of the Colposcopy Referral Center. UNFPA in the Republic of Moldova will continue to offer assistance to these centers so as to ensure the necessary support and medical assistance are close to the women who need support.
“This network was constituted as a result of assiduous work of the employees who dealt with this project directly, with the Ministry of Health’s support, with the support of the foreign partners. But I imagine that the difficulties only start when multiple women, as a result of examinations, will find out that they have a pathological state and this thing should be regarded from a positive angle. Yes, this is bad news for them, but the fact that the disease is detected on time and swiftly is good news as this woman will be treated and will live,” said Adrian Belyi, a member of the Parliament’s commission on social protection, health and family.
Pippa Bown, of the British Embassy in Chisinau, said that together with the outfitting of centers with modern telemedicine equipment, colposcopes, the women will benefit from high-quality diagnostic services and eventual modern treatment. The fact that the women will not have to travel to Chisinau or to cover long distances to benefit from such centers is something extraordinary.
The women who will be detected with precancerous lesions will receive treatment in regional offices. If cervical cancer is detected, the treatment will be received at the Cancer Institute. Modern colposcopy equipment was supplied to the regional hospitals in Soroca, Comrat, Cahul, Căușeni, Ungheni, Orhei, Drochia, Ceadîr-Lunga and the Balti Clinic Hospital, while the Mother and Child Institute, the Cancer Institute and the Municipal Clinical Hospital “Gheorghe Paladi” had their capacities strengthened. The 12 offices have colposcopes, electrosurgical units, sterilizers, gynecological chairs, medical instruments and furniture to the value of US$635,000. The devices were purchased by UNFPA Moldova with the assistance of the UK.
