From April 1, 2019, starts screening of breast and thyroid cancer.

Only last month in the three major maternity hospitals in Sofia 337 women with myoma were examined free of charge. This said the mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova at the presentation of the results of the one-month campaign for free examinations of myoma disease conducted under the auspices of Sofia Municipality in the three leading maternity hospitals in Bulgaria - the State University Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital "Maichin Dom" and the municipal hospitals First Gynaecological Hospital “St. Sofia” and Second Gynaecological Hospital “Sheynovo”. The heads of the three hospitals agreed that the campaign showed the correct model for moving healthcare in the direction of prevention and treatment of widespread diseases. Such campaigns shorten the patient's path to high-level expertise, and diseases caught in time and properly treated relieve the health system, saving complications and costly interventions, emphasized Dr. Ivian Benishev, Director of the Medical Activities Directorate at the Ministry of Health.

‘For us prevention and prophylaxis are leading and women deserve to be informed and get help in the treatment of one of the most widespread gynaecological diseases’, said Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, thanking the Ministry of Health for the interest and expressed confidence that the results of the pilot project will serve to develop programs at national level.

‘Free screenings and long-term commitment to prevention and prophylaxis of women's health are a very special concern that women deserve and should talk about, especially during the women’s month of March, said the Executive Director of First Gynaecological Hospital “St. Sofia”, Dr. Gergana Kolarova, attesting the support of the medical establishments to participate in such initiatives in the future. The interest in the uterine myoma screening campaign in Sofia clearly shows that there is a need for a national initiative so that women in the country are examined free of charge and informed that myoma can also be treated with medications, especially if diagnosed on time. ‘The decision of NHIF to fund the treatment with medications that stop the growth of myomas was correct’, said the director of "Maichin Dom" and initiator of the campaign, Prof. Dr. Ivan Kostov. The head of Second Gynaecological Hospital “Sheynovo” added that many of the examined patients came with direction for surgical treatment and were reassigned for drug therapy, which proves that screening examinations should be validated as a model.

Mayor Fandakova reminded that Sofia Municipality was the first to support organized breast cancer screening, and this is the 5th screening program along with breast, thyroid, prostate and lung screening. ‘The aim of all these tests is prevention, examinations, awareness of people and, if necessary, referral to specialists’, she added. From 1 April 2019, starts screening of breast and thyroid cancer. This week the Sofia Municipal Council will discuss the reports for funding, which amounts to a total of BGN 450 thousand.

In examinations for breast cancer participate First, Fourth and Fifth municipal multi-profile hospitals, the two hospitals of obstetrics and gynaecology, as well as at the municipal oncological hospital and the national oncological hospital. Thyroid examinations will be performed at First and Fifth municipal multi-profile hospitals and at 12th Diagnostic-Advisory Centre.