HEALTH DAYS in Western Balkan

449 free check-ups

During autumn 2022, Think Pink Europe, with the support of the socially-responsible company Roche and in cooperation with its Think Pink Europe members from the Western Balkans, Organization Think Pink – Zajedno smo jedno from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Association Renesansa from Prizren, Kosovo and Association Europa Donna Srbija from Belgrade, Serbia has organized a project called Health Days. The ultimate aim is to close the gap in health services care, providing free mammography and additional health check-ups such as glucose level measurement, blood pressure, and consultations with gynecologists for women living in disregarded communities.

In some locations we have done health check-ups due to different findings in the field, identified needs and possibilities in each of the three countries to provide women with health services, in Bosnia and Herzegovina Health Days were provided in 5 different locations using a mobile mammogram unit, focusing on both, women living in remote and rural areas who don’t have opportunity to undertake mammogram exam in their local health institutions, and urban women in Sarajevo, since the poor level of consciousness for regular mammogram check-ups among women and the lack of screening program for early breast cancer detection. Health Days were organized in: Pale-Prača, Sarajevo, Pazarić, Tarčin, and Stolac-Uzinovići, taking into account services no matter the nationality, place of living, economic situation, or any other affiliation.

In Serbia, free mammogram check-ups were provided to women from the Roma population in the neighborhood of Belgrade – specifically vulnerable groups of society with a lack of opportunity to undertake mammography, and take care of their health in general.

In Kosovo, although a small Western Balkan Country, but with high level of detected breast cancer cases each year in late stage, and the lack of screening program as well, the mammography was provided to women from several cities and places: Prizren, Priština, Vitine, Gnjilane.

Four hundred forty-nine women were examined during these days. The importance of such activities is shown by the fact that 21 women were referred for further diagnostics due to the BI-RADS III mammogram result. 

In our mission of closing the gap in health services between European countries, striving toward equal opportunities and rights to health for each woman and man, the organization of Health Days events in Western Balkan Countries was a huge success in making positive changes changing the code of conduct among women and raising awareness about early detection.

For more information read the complete report.