Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the South Korean foundation KOFIH, the Tashkent city and regional departments of the SES Service and the World Organization of Medical Centers, clinics of infectious diseases and the media, attend the conference.

The Agency for Information and Mass Communications, together with the Republican Service for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health and the Research Institute of Virology, is holding a press conference on the topic: regions of the republic”.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the South Korean foundation KOFIH, the Tashkent city and regional departments of the SES Service and the World Organization of Medical Centers, clinics of infectious diseases and the media, attend the conference.

According to the WHO, every year around the world, cervical cancer is registered for the first time in more than 530 thousand women, of whom 190 thousand die from this disease.

As noted at a press conference, cervical cancer in Uzbekistan, as well as throughout the world, is the second most common cancer among women of all ages after breast cancer. In terms of mortality from disease, cervical cancer ranks third in mortality from breast and stomach cancer among women of all ages, while among women of childbearing age (15-44 years), mortality from uterine cancer is in second place.

In Uzbekistan, an average of 1,700-1800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually. More than 42 percent of them die every year. Most of these deaths result from late diagnosis. The main cause of cervical cancer (98-99%) is human papillomavirus (OPV).

By Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 04.04.2017 No. 2866, the program “Further development of the oncological service and improvement of oncological care for the population in the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021” was approved. This program provides for the implementation of preventive and screening studies of oncological diseases, the formation of a unified database of cancer patients (chancellor-register), monitoring of the epidemiological situation with the development of effective programs for the prevention of oncological diseases.

In order to monitor the epidemiological situation, it is envisaged to implement an investment pilot project “Improving the capabilities of detecting human papillomavirus and diagnosing cervical cancer among women in the regions of the republic, including in the city of Tashkent, Samarkand and Andijan regions” in cooperation with the Research Institute of Virology and the South Korean Foundation KOFIH with the participation of 50,000 women. This project will be implemented within 3 years.

The main goal of this project is the prevention of oncological diseases by early detection of diseases caused by the human papillomavirus among women, and the study of the significance of screening for the 2nd risk factor for cancer, i.e., by determining the percentage of prevalence of highly oncogenic types of OPV among women of fertile age.

The expected results from the ongoing pilot project were also announced at the press conference.

The following results are expected from the pilot project implemented in the republic:

* The spread of HPV in Uzbekistan is being studied for the first time at the republican level.

• For HPV research, 3 special laboratories are being created.
• The system will be created for early diagnosis of HPV and cervical cancer.
• Standards, practical guidelines for HPV detection, cancer prevention and treatment will be developed in accordance with the world standard.
• Early diagnosis and treatment of HPV leads to reduced morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer.

To this end, in the republic, together with the Research Institute of Virology and the South Korean KOFIH Foundation, screening processes are continuing in 60 family polyclinics throughout Tashkent:

1. Central polyclinic of Yunusabad region;
2. Central polyclinic of the Chilanzar region;
3. Tashkent Central Polyclinic No. 2;
4. Central polyclinic of Mirzo-Ulugbek district;
5. Central polyclinic of Yashnabad region;
6. In the central polyclinics of the Shaykhantakhur region, screening tests for cervical cancer are carried out.

All women between the ages of 30 and 49 who were on the list were tested for BBR (cervical cancer) free of charge. In the city of Tashkent, more than 6,000 women underwent screening examinations. In 11.7 percent of women, according to the results of the survey, the virus was found, further studies of these women will begin in January.

Changes detected during the screening process are monitored by the relevant doctors and the necessary recommendations are given.

The conference ended with questions and answers on the topic. Representatives of the media received answers to all their questions.