North Macedonia Plans National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Strategy

Better prevention, organised screening, shorter waiting times and a national oncology care plan are among key steps to improve cancer treatment in North Macedonia. The issues were discussed at a meeting held at the Government, attended by institutional representatives, doctors, patients and experts from several European countries.

According to Saşo Klekovski, 23 people are diagnosed with cancer in the country every day, while patients face an overloaded oncology centre and waiting problems in screening, diagnosis and treatment that are not effective enough. Experts from France, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina shared experiences from their own health systems.

Proposed solutions include a national oncology network with common standards, organised screening programmes, a consultation approach for every patient and clear waiting times. Priorities also include stronger prevention, such as smoking control and HPV vaccination, better radiodiagnostics and a study of radiotherapy infrastructure and technology. Klekovski said a coordinated, long-term approach is needed and stressed that "Cancer patients should not wait".