In the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, today, Friday April 26, at the Vassilis & Elizas Goulandris Foundation, the presentation of the National Screening Program PROLAMVANOS took place. At the event, the Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis and the Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou addressed the event, while the presentation of the program was made by the Deputy Minister of Health Irini Agapidaki.

This is the first comprehensive National program implemented in our country, for Prevention. The program covers almost all citizens and aims at the early identification of the main chronic diseases (cancer, cardiovascular) that are responsible for early deaths in our country, through the establishment of free preventive diagnostic tests for breast cancer, cervical cancer uterus, colon cancer and cardiovascular risk.
Utilizing digital tools, Greece is implementing, for the first time in its history, organized population screening programs at the level of Public Health. In collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Governance, gov.gr becomes the portal for a new era in the field of health and prevention that facilitates all citizens to take their exams easily, immediately and for free.

The PROLAMVANO National Screening Program, which is part of the “SPYROS DOXIADIS” National Prevention Program, was designed by the Ministry of Health and the Deputy Minister of Health Irini Agapidakis, with a central message “Prevention saves lives”. The Program was implemented by the Electronic Governance of Social Security (HDIKA SA), a supervised body of the Ministry of Digital Governance.

Within the framework of the National Screening Program PROLAMBANO, the Ministry of Health has already launched the breast cancer screening program “Preventive Births”. The program covers 1.4 million women aged 45-74 and offers a free digital mammogram, a free ultrasound and a free doctor’s visit for women who have findings. On May 8, it is expected that the relevant sms will also be sent to the new beneficiaries. So far, over 300,000 mammograms have already been performed and more than 20,000 women – an entire city – have been identified early with symptoms.

In fact, during the presentation 4 women, Maria, Lena, Virginia and Maria who shared their personal experiences and sent a message to everyone not to postpone their preventive examinations. As they themselves emphasized, “using the Fofi Gennimata program for the prevention of breast cancer, they took advantage of the free examinations and thanks to this they remain healthy”. It is characteristic that 99% of women who are diagnosed early with breast cancer have a better survival than those who are not diagnosed early.

Also, on May 13, the first sms will begin to be sent for the cervical cancer prevention program, which concerns 2.5 million women aged 21-65 and offers the following preventive tests free of charge: HPV DNA molecular test (for women 30-65), “test pap” examination (for women 21-29), colposcopy & biopsy, for women with clinical findings, by a specialist doctor. The program has been adapted according to the latest scientific data to provide the possibility of re-examination for the women to whom it is recommended, who will of course have the opportunity to do the re-examination completely free of charge, according to the type of findings, as determined by the competent Committee of Public Health Experts. It is typical that 9 out of 10 women who are diagnosed early with cervical cancer have a better survival than those who are not diagnosed early.

Agapidakis

In fact, this program is part of a broader and comprehensive strategy for the prevention of cervical cancer, which, in addition to free preventive examinations, also includes free vaccination against the HPV virus. Thus, vaccination has been extended to boys, and is already covered for 2024, and will continue for the following years. Our country has adopted the goals of the World Health Organization to eliminate cervical cancer caused by the HPV virus. Thus, our main goal is to achieve by 2030: a) the vaccination of 90% of girls up to 15 years of age with the HPV vaccine, b) the increase of vaccinations of boys, c) the participation of 70% of women in the screening program (these programs start now and continue over time, they do not happen all at once) and d) access to timely and appropriate treatment for at least 90% of women with precancerous lesions or cervical cancer who will detected by the program. It is worth noting that already in the last year (2023) an increase in the vaccination rate against the HPV virus is visible by 239% compared to 2017 and 147% compared to 2019.

In addition, in the first week of June, the first sms for the colon cancer prevention program are expected to start being sent. This program is aimed at 3.8 million men and women, aged 50-65, and includes a free examination with special tests that citizens can obtain from pharmacies, as well as a free diagnostic colonoscopy, always in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Public Health Experts. In fact, 9 out of 10 people who are diagnosed early with colon cancer have a better survival than those who are not diagnosed early.

Also, within the second half of the year, the program for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases starts, which is aimed at 5.5 million women and men aged 30-70 and includes a free visit to a doctor and free blood lipid profile tests for the assessment of cardiovascular risk and identification of metabolic syndrome. The risk factors that we can intervene to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease are smoking, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity. The more risk factors someone has, the greater their risk for cardiovascular disease. It is clear, therefore, that the correct and timely treatment of all risk factors contributes significantly to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, especially if we consider that based on research, it is estimated that in our country there are 1.5 million citizens who suffer from hypertension but do not have received a diagnosis.

It is noted that the government is investing a total of over 200 million euros until 2025 for secondary prevention programs related to cancer, and the majority of them come from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, while for some the community funds from the NSRF are used, in order to implement the prevention programs for lung cancer and skin cancer. The Ministry of Health is awaiting the relevant guidelines from the Committee of Public Health Experts in order to immediately proceed with the implementation of these preventive programs.

Papastergiou

The Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis stated:

“The fight against chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases is a priority and a challenge for all Health Systems both worldwide and in Greece. Adopting a holistic approach to them requires a strategic, coordinated effort and significant investments at all levels: in prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment. Now, what we know well is that preventive tests are not only lifesaving for the patient himself but also for the health system itself. Secondary prevention, i.e. early diagnosis of the disease or at an early stage, can contribute to increasing the survival of patients and can simultaneously save the health system from a lot of money that would be spent on the treatment of an advanced disease. For the first time, more than 200 million euros are being invested until 2025 for secondary prevention programs, and the majority of them come from the Recovery and Resilience Fund. Through the PROLAMBANO National Screening Program, which was designed by the Deputy Minister of Health Irini Agapidakis and I thank her very much for that, our goal is to increase the number of screenings to cover more groups of citizens and more types of chronic diseases. This approach, which is based on the most recent scientific developments and evidence, will help Member States – including Greece – to ensure that screening is offered to 90% of the population by 2025.”

The Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou stated:

“It is with great pride that we present today “Prevent”. In the Ministry of Digital Governance, from the first moment we had the citizen at the center and we showed it in practice in the field of Health, first. Utilizing technological tools and integrating digital solutions, we contribute to prevention programs while at the same time meeting the citizen’s daily needs, such as having medical prescriptions, referrals, appointments, and even medical examinations available to him at any time and moment. I warmly thank the political leadership of the Ministry of Health, with whom we have excellent cooperation, and I congratulate IDIKA for the excellent digital solutions it proposes and the programs it implements.”

The Deputy Minister of Health, Irini Agapidaki stated:

“First of all, I would like to personally thank for his contribution, the Ministry of Digital Governance and the Minister Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou and the managing director of the Electronic Governance of Social Security (IDIKA SA) Mrs. Niki Tsouma. It is the first time in the history of our country that an investment of this magnitude has been made in Prevention and the health of the population through the National Screening Program PRELAMBANO. It is a fact that Prevention in Greece has never had an organized and systematic character. Citizens’ contact with the health system usually takes place after the symptom appears. And that’s exactly what we’re here to change. The main goal of the Ministry of Health is not just to not die, but not to get sick. Therefore, prevention and focus on groups plagued by health inequalities, on reducing the gap that exists in health indicators between citizens belonging to the highest and lowest economic strata and on reducing the social hierarchy in Health. From the model of “treating diseases” we are moving to “keeping citizens healthy”.