TIRANA, Sept 21/ATA/ – More than 60,000 Albanian women have received free cervical cancer screenings since the launch of the country’s national HPV testing program, health officials said Sunday, reporting a 2.5% annual decline in new cases.
Speaking to the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), Prof. Dorina Toçi of the Institute of Public Health said a nationwide campaign – which began September 1- offers free HPV tests at every primary health center for women born between 1975 and 1985. So far, 3,500 tests have been conducted, with over 7,000 expected by year’s end.
“The program aims to prevent and significantly reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality by detecting HPV infections and precancerous lesions early,” Toçi said. “It is part of the National Cancer Control Program, alongside HPV vaccination, to create a sustainable prevention system.”
Under the plan, women aged 40–50 are actively invited for screening by family doctors and nurses, while public campaigns through media and social networks seek to raise awareness. Screening is recommended every five years if results are negative. Pap smears remain in use for other age groups or HPV-positive women, who are monitored or referred for colposcopy if needed.
Toçi noted that while other cancers in Albania have increased, cervical cancer cases fell from an average of 125 annually in 2015–2019 to just 101 in 2024. “HPV testing has the potential to prevent invasive cancers if positive women are followed systematically and precancerous changes treated in time,” she said.
Gynecologist Evis Binaj of Tirana’s Queen Geraldine Obstetric-Gynecologic University Hospital warned that cervical cancer primarily affects women over 35 and is most often linked to persistent HPV infection. “Regular screening between ages 25 and 64, combined with HPV vaccination, remains the best defense,” she told ATA.
Binaj stressed that improved testing methods now allow earlier detection and treatment of precancerous lesions, making the disease far more curable. She urged women to watch for warning signs—including abnormal bleeding, postmenopausal spotting, or pelvic pain—and to undergo regular Pap or HPV tests.
HPV vaccination for 13-year-old girls is already part of Albania’s national immunization schedule. “Together with screening, vaccination can lead to the elimination of cervical cancer as a preventable disease,” Toçi said.
“Cervical cancer is preventable and treatable if caught early,” Binaj added. “Taking a simple test today can save your life.”
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