Opening of the screening centre in Lviv

 

This is one out of six centres in the Lviv oblast, which was established in the framework of cooperation between the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the World Bank, the Health care Department of LOSA, and the health care administration of the Lviv municipal council.

 

Each of the screening centres has convenient location in terms of the health care facilities from its area of care provision, and is based on existing screening facilities. For example, the municipal screening centre is established on the basis of the polyclinic No. 5, as there is the Municipal centralized clinical and diagnostics laboratory, which holds over 165,000 cytological examinations annually.

                               

 

All the comfortable conditions were provided in the screening centrer for women examination. It is equipped with the most advanced equipment for gynecological and mammographic examination. In particular, the centre is provided with a digital mammography device, with modern microscopes with a video system, and with computer equipment for maintaining the electronic registry. The municipal screening centre will also be equipped with a modern ultrasound device and a colposcope. The total cost of equipment in the municipal screening centre is UAH 8.7 mln. Current repairs of the premises of the municipal screening centre were carried out using the municipal budget, in particular for the total amount of UAH 190 thousand. All examinations are free of charge.

"The World Bank's project is being implemented in the Lviv oblast through close cooperation between the Ministry of Health, the Oblast State Administration, and the Health care Department, which is designed to ensure accessability and maximum approach to the methods of early diagnosis in women. In addition, the implementation of the Project concerns the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the malignant neoplasms treatment," - highlighted Iryna Mykychak, the Head of the Health care Department of Lviv Oblast State Administration.

 

"Our Subproject is the leader among the 8 oblasts under the Project. We establish screening centres where the most up-to-date diagnostics equipment is installed. Now we hope to obtain the support of the medical community for conducting the maximum number of female examinations in the Lviv oblast. All women have access to free early diagnosis of cancer, as close as possible to their place of residence," - stated Khrystyna Pak, Consultant of the World Bank's "Preventive oncology and the implementation of effective anti-tumor technologies in Lviv oblast" Subproject.

 

"Our municipal polyclinic No. 5 was chosen to become a basis for such centre not by chance, as there is a functioning Municipal centralized clinical and diagnostics laboratory, which holds over 165,000 cytological examination annually. The cytological department provides services for 11 antenatal clinics in the city of Lviv. In 2016, 165,603 cytological examinations were conducted, accounting for 77% of all examinations carried out in the city (a total of 215 898 cytological smears in Lviv). For the period of 7 months of the current year, 91 874 cytological examinations were carried out on the basis of the Municipal cytological laboratory of the Municipal polyclinic No.5. The financing of the laboratory is maintained through the city budget," - stated Volodymyr Zub, the head of the health care administration of Lviv Municipal Council.

A complete cycle of maintaining the electronic medical card of a patient directly from the workplaces of the registrar, gynecologist, cytologist, and that of the radiologist are provided in the centre. The testing of the software "Electronic Registry of the female population" is underway, and it will soon be functioning in the usual mode.

   

 

Project Information Note

 

 

The joint World Bank's and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine "Serving People, Improving Health" Project, is part of the health care reform in Ukraine. The objective of the Project is to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and that of the self-governing bodies in the oblasts, which are covered by the Project.

 

Activities under the Project will be aimed at achieving the three priority tasks in the health care system:

 

1. Combating non-infectious diseases, with special focus on prevention;

 

2. Improving the quality and efficiency of health care;

 

3. Optimizating and restructuring hospitals and outpatient services associated with the secondary level.

 

In the framework of implementing the Project during 2015-2017, the "Preventive oncology and the implementation of effective antitumor technologies in Lviv oblast" Subproject is being implemented in the Lviv oblast. This is the only one out of the 8 subprojects, which is focused on oncology, while all others are oriented towards cardiology.

 

The total amount of the loan allocated towards the subproject in the Lviv oblast is 10 150.00 thousand U.S. Dollars. As of today, 44 contracts were signed in the amount of 8,167.4 thousand U.S. Dollars (80% of the loan amount). Medical equipment has been already delivered as part of the project; the total amount being approximately 7.5 mln. U.S. Dollars.

 

The introduction of the "Preventive oncology and the implementation of effective anti-tumor technologies in Lviv oblast" Subproject makes it possible to introduce the screening program, specifically cytological and mammographic, into the medical practice in the Lviv oblast. That is, with the help of the measures within the subproject, the emphasis is shifted in terms of the provision of medical care from treatment to preventive measures and prevention as such.

 

Relevance of the problem

 

Breast cancer ranks the first place in the structure of cancer morbidity and cancer mortality in Ukraine. Every year, more than 16 thousand Ukrainian women fall ill with breast cancer. Every 30 minutes doctors detect a new case of breast cancer, and every hour one woman dies. Annually, that cancer-related disease takes lives of almost 7,5 thousand Ukrainian women.

 

Statistics show that 95% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer in the first stage, get cured; 80% of women - in the second stage of the disease, and 50% of those with the third stage of the disease.

 

In 2016, the following statistics were registered in Lviv:

 

353 newly detected cases of breast cancer;

 

out of these, there are 52 cases of advanced states, which account for 14,7%.

 

For the period of 6 months of 2017, the following statistics were registered in the city:

 

133 newly detected cases of breast cancer,

 

out of these, there are 17 cases of advanced states, which account for 12,8%

 

Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women in the age between 18 and 49, and the third largest cause of death among women, after breast cancer and lung cancer.

 

Over 500 thousand new cases of cervical cancer are annually diagnosed in the world, while 280 thousand women die from that disease. One of the factors for the late detection of cervical cancer is low medical culture, irregular preventive examination of women with a check-up of the smear taken from the cervical channel towards cytological oncology. Women should refer to an obstetrician/gynecologist on a timely and regular basis. A minimum one visit per year by a woman to a doctor reduces the risk associated with the development of cervical cancer by 80%.

 

The only method of early and timely diagnosis of cervical cancer is cytological screening.

 

In 2016, the following statistics were registered in Lviv:

 

66 newly detected cases of cervical cancer,

 

out of these, there are 6 cases of advanced states, which account for 9,1%,

 

"0" stage - 59 cases.

 

For the period of 6 months of 2017, the following statistics have been registered:

 

33 newly detected cases of cervical cancer,

 

Out of these, there are 3 cases of advanced states, which account for 9,1%,

 

"0" stage - 21 cases.

 

As of today, all antenatal clinics in the city are equipped with cytological brushes for taking cytological smears, which were purchased using the funds of the World Bank allocated in the framework of the "Preventive oncology and the implementation of effective anti-tumor technologies in Lviv oblast", specifically in the amount of 156,500 pcs. for the sum of UAH 924 915.

Prevention is vital

 

One of the most common causes of death among the female population in the world is breast cancer, - doctors state. However, when using all available opportunities for prevention and timely diagnosis, effective diagnosis, and treatment of patients with precancerous conditions, one might avoid becoming ill with those terrible diseases!

 

Therefore, the experts emphasize that for the sake of early detection of pre-tumor states and oncology-related pathologies of organs of the female reproductive system in the early stages, as well as for the sake of ensuring the efficiency of the diagnostics process, it is important to carry out preventive examinations with a high level of informing the population. That is why, it has been already the 10th year that the Health care Department of LOSA and the health care administration of Lviv Municipal Council have been holding the "Campaing on the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical and Breast Cancer". Through the involvement of mass media, during the campaign women are encouraged to undergo gynecological examination at antenatal clinics, choosing the one that is the most convenient to reach. The examination for breast cancer is available at the newly established Municipal mammology multi-district screening centre for the diagnosis of precancerous and cancerous states in women, which is functioning on the basis of the polyclinic No. 5, as well as in the mammography office of the Municipal polyclinic No. 4.

 

The contacts of the newly established Municipal multi-district screening centre for the diagnosis of pre-cancerous and cancerous states in women is the following: 32 Vyhovsky St.; to obtain more information at the reception, please contact: (032) 236-87-00, to undergo mammographic screening, please contact: (032) 236-87-01.

 

What every woman should remember!

 

In case of any thickening, tumors, suspicious areas, pain, or any other symptoms, a compelling recommendation is to urgently refer to a doctor, in particular, to a family physician, a district therapist, to a surgeon or a gynecologist. If necessary, these specialists will refer a woman to a mammologist or an oncologist for consultation. Any examination of the mammary glands in order to clarify the diagnosis should be prescribed only by a competent physician. At present, the most informative method of diagnosis of breast cancer is mammography. Women should undergo the first mammography examination at the age of 40. After 40 - every second year, and after 50 - annually. For women under the age of 40, ultrasound examination of the mammary glands is recommended.

 

The probability of developing cervical cancer is greater in women who often change their sexual partners and neglect the barrier contraceptive methods. In addition, with early onset of sexual life (in the age between 14 and 18), the immature cervical epithelium is particularly susceptible to the effects of damaging factors.

 

One of the factors for the late detection of cervical cancer is low medical culture, irregular preventive check-ups by women with an examination of the smear taken from the cervical channel towards cytological oncology.

 

Patients should contact the obstetrician/gynecologist on a timely and regular basis. A minimum of one visit by a woman to a doctor reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer by 80%.