Immunization against the human papilloma virus (HPV) was not implemented in 2020, the funds intended for the purchase of vaccines in the amount of 700.000 euros were spent, and the Ministry of Health has not yet answered whether there will be money for this cervical cancer prevention program in 2021, nor whether immunization will be planned in this year at all.
At the end of 2019, the Ministry of Health, then headed by Kenan Hrapović, adopted the immunization program for 2020. The program also provides for immunization against diseases caused by human papillomaviruses.
"During 2020, supplementary immunization of girls between the ages of ten and 11 will be carried out. Active immunization against diseases caused by human papillomaviruses is carried out in girls who are at least nine to ten years old, that is, in the fourth grade of primary school. Active immunization is carried out with the appropriate number of doses of the vaccine in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions," says the document signed by the then minister.
The introduction of HPV vaccines has been planned for years, it is mentioned in the Action Plan 2011 to 2015. In the same document, it is stated that according to the then budget, it is expected that about 550.000 percent of the population will be vaccinated for about 80 euros.
2020 euros have been allocated for the needs of immunization against the human papilloma virus for 700.000. However, by the decision of the previous Government, the funds were diverted for the procurement of "missing quantities of flu vaccines and personal protective equipment for the needs of public health institutions".
"The Ministry of Health has given consent to use the unused funds planned in the Health Fund budget for 2020 for the procurement of HPV vaccines in the amount of 700.000 euros for the procurement of missing quantities of flu vaccines and personal protective equipment for the needs of public health institutions. Also, the Ministry of Health has given an order to the Montefarm Pharmacy of Montenegro health institution to implement the mentioned procurements up to a total amount of 700.000 euros under an urgent procedure, in accordance with the Law on Public Procurement. The last decision before the end of the work of the National Coordinating Body for Infectious Diseases will preserve the citizens' money donated to the NKT, which is intended for the construction of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, since the political party URA announced yesterday that it intends to start spending the donated funds for current needs as soon as it takes over the executive power. and saved money", announced on December 4 from the public relations office of the previous government.
After such a decision, they also reacted from the civil sector.
Maja Raičević from the Center for Women's Rights reminded then that according to available research, cervical cancer is the second most common among women in Montenegro, right after breast cancer.
"In Montenegro, about 110 women fall ill with this disease every year, of which 30 to 40 die. Cervical cancer ranks tenth in mortality among all cancers in the world, and is most often caused by the human papillomavirus.
Vaccination, along with regular screening, is the most effective protection against HPV and has been applied worldwide for more than 10 years... Vaccination provides effective protection against the two most common types of HPV, types 16 and 18, responsible for almost two-thirds of all cervical cancer cases uterus and other diseases... The introduction of vaccination was announced in our country for the end of 2019, and now the NKT makes a decision to redirect the 700.000 euros that were intended for the purchase of the HPV vaccine to the purchase of the flu vaccine? How then to understand this latest in a series of incomprehensible NKT decisions, except as discriminatory, misogynistic, extremely irresponsible towards the health and lives of hundreds of girls and women who are thus denied adequate prevention and protection from this vicious disease? And why were these funds not used for their purpose when they were already available? I hope that the new Minister of Health (Jelena Borovinić Bojović) will also raise these issues," Raičević wrote at the time.
However, the Department of Health in the new government did not answer to "Vijesti", among other things, whether there are plans to continue the vaccination program in order to prevent cervical cancer.
Director of the Health Insurance Fund (FZO) Sead Čirgić told "Vijesta" that if they had not been diverted for the purchase of protective medical equipment and flu vaccines, the funds for HPV vaccines would have been used for other purposes.
"Because the use of the HPV vaccine in 2020 would not have started. Namely, according to the notification of the Institute of Public Health, many activities and elements of the Plan for the introduction of the HPV vaccine into the immunization calendar due to the pandemic and emergency epidemiological situation were not fully implemented, so there were no conditions for an adequate and effective start of immunization against HPV in 2020. Therefore, the funds intended for the procurement of HPV vaccines were not diverted to the detriment of vaccination," he said.
When asked whether the funds allocated for HPV vaccines could still be saved for 2021, Čirgić said that they were not, but that they could have been returned to the budget.
"The funds could not be saved, because they cannot be transferred to the next budget year. They can be used for other purposes according to system priorities or the funds can remain unspent when they are returned to the budget at the end of the budget year," he said.
Today is World Cancer Day.
How the money for the HPV vaccine was diverted
The first vaccines against seasonal flu, 31 thousand doses, arrived in Montenegro in October. "Montefarm" announced at the time that the planned and delivered number of doses had increased by almost 40 percent compared to 2019. The Podgorica Health Center told the media at the time that there was "no fear" that there would be a shortage of vaccines, that Podgorica had responded to immunization 100 percent of the citizens, but also that a request was sent to the authorities for the procurement of an additional amount of vaccines.
In November, "Montefarm" submitted a request for a new 10.000 doses. At the time, they informed the FZO that they were threatened with a shortage of protective medical equipment for doctors and medical workers.
Thus, from the 700.000 euros intended for the purchase of HPV vaccines, an additional 10 doses against the seasonal flu were paid, and 400.000 pairs of surgical gloves and 200.000 disposable waterproof protective spacesuits were purchased, with a total value of 512.000 euros.
The Delegation of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Montenegro signed a contract worth three million euros at the beginning of April for the procurement of necessary medical equipment and personal protective equipment for the needs of the health system. During 2020, as recently announced by the Delegation, 100 respirators, 10 digital X-ray machines and more than two million pieces of protective equipment were provided.
At the end of January, the Agreement on financing the support of the EU health sector in the fight against covid-19, worth 9,5 million euros, was signed. More than eight million euros were donated to the account of NKT...
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