Chisinau, November 9, 2018 - The Agency for International Development Cooperation of Romania (RoAid) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will purchase advanced medical equipment for the prevention of cervical cancer in the Republic of Moldova. The two organizations signed an agreement earlier this year and the equipment will be shipped to Moldova at the beginning of 2019.

RoAid has provided a financial contribution of about $ 21,000 to purchase a set of high-quality equipment including microscopes, objectives and gynecological simulators, all of which will be used to enhance national capacities in the area of cervical screening.  

“RoAid's support complements the national efforts in the area of cervical cancer prevention, which aim to improve the quality of screening and information services. We want all girls and women in the Republic of Moldova to be protected from this preventable disease and are grateful to the Romanian partners for supporting our cause,” said Rita Columbia, UNFPA Representative in Moldova.

The medical institutions that will benefit from the equipment procured with the support of RoAid are the Cytology Laboratory of the Republican Center of Medical Diagnostics; State University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Nicolae Testemitanu"; Center of Excellence in Medicine and Pharmacy "Raisa Pacalo" and other four specialized colleges; Center for Continuous Medical Education of Medical and Pharmaceutical Staff.

According to national statistics, almost every day a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer in Moldova and every three days a woman dies from this disease. Cervical cancer can be easily prevented through organized screening programs performed every third year by women aged 25-61 years old.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, with the support of UNFPA and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in partnership with International Association for Cervical Cancer Prevention, is currently implementing a comprehensive project of cervical cancer prevention for the period of 2017-2020, which involves increasing accessibility and quality of medical and information services in this regard.