January 28, 2010


Deputies, experts, doctors and NGO’s representatives gathered in the parliament for a round table discussion titled “Fighting Cervical Cancer” aimed at tackling issues related to the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer. It was held at the initiative of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Chairman and also Co-Chair of the "Parliamentary consensus on combating socially significant diseases" group in the 41st National Assembly, Dr. Lachezar Ivanov, under the patronage of National Assembly Chairwoman Tsetska Tsacheva on January 28, 2010.

Dr. Lachezar Ivanov presented at the forum data showing that every day in Bulgaria one woman is dying from cervical cancer. In his words this trend could be reversed through regular screening and vaccinations.

Associate Professor Zdravka Valerianova, Director of the National Cancer Registry, announced that the adopted in the past National Strategy for Cancer Screening in Bulgaria, covering breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer is not working. She pointed out that the morbidity from cervical cancer in the country has increased more than twice. It is anticipated that in 2010 about 1300 new cases of this cancer will occur. In Bulgaria, as in other newly admitted EU countries, cases of cervical cancer are twice more than in the old Member States, reported Zdravka Valerianova.

The round table is held in the framework of the annual European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, held between 24-30 January 2010.

Among the participants at the forum were the Health Minister Bozidar Nanev, the Director General of the European Cervical Cancer Association Dr Philip Davies and the President of the Bulgarian Association of Cancer Patients and Friends, Evgenia Adarska.