Dispatches
Print Send by mailUNFPA supported Georgian project receives European award
The Georgian National Screening Center has received an award from the Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer for its Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Programme. The programme was started by the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) to raise awareness on cervical cancer and its prevention.
The award was announced at the European Parliament’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Summit Meeting, held as part of the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (18-24 January 2009).
Breast and cervical cancer are the most frequent causes of mortality for Georgian women of reproductive age and early detection is crucial to saving women's lives. The screening programme in Tbilisi is one of a few in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and is supported by Tbilisi Municipality Social Services and UNFPA.
"This programme is the ideal example of government, non-governmental and international organisation partnership, uniting the visions, approaches and efforts for saving the lives of women in Georgia,” said the First Lady of Georgia, Ms. Sandra E. Roelofs. “This award is the highest recognition and the motivation to replicate our success formula in the region".
Ms Roelofs is an active champion for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), with a special focus on the reduction of maternal and child mortality, extreme poverty, infectious diseases and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for young people. She joined a delegation of Georgian politicians, government representatives and health experts on a mission to Brussels.
During its visit to Brussels, the Georgian delegation also met with the Chair of the Inter-European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) Hon. Anne Van Lancker MEP, the Belgian MP Hon. Hilde Vautmans, European Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Androulla Vassiliou, civil society organizations and UNFPA.
