Filenews 1 April 2022 - by Marilena Panagi
Pap test for all women on an annual basis, extension of both upwards and downwards of the age limit of women for free mammography through the programs of the Ministry of Health and GHS services, extension of vaccinations for HPV to younger boys, as well as inclusion of the first IVF effort of a woman with full coverage of expenses by the GHS, ask all the members of the House Standing Committee on Health.
The Commission put in writing its requests for the first three issues to the Ministry of Health and the Health Insurance Organisation, while yesterday, before the agenda, it informed the HIO orally of its intention to request them at its next meeting, making it clear that all parties are ready to demand their satisfaction since these are health services linked to prevention, the health and safety of women.
The possibility of including an IVF effort in the GHS was discussed yesterday for the second time by the Parliamentary Health Committee and as it was found, in order to satisfy the relevant request, a study must first be carried out by the Ministry of Health and the HIO and then the necessary funds should be transferred from the Ministry of Health, in the budget of which they are today, in the GHS budget.
On the part of the Ministry of Health, it was reported that today a program is being implemented which covers up to four IVF attempts in all women up to 50 years of age. The amount granted as an allowance by the State ranges from €2,000 to €2,500. The budget for 2022 includes a budget of €3.4 million. The corresponding budget for the year 2020 was €1.9 million, but then new categories of beneficiaries, such as single women, were added to the programme and therefore the envelope was significantly increased. In 2020, 1,322 requests had been submitted to the health ministry and 2,170 in 2021.
The Health Insurance Organisation said IVF was never included in the services that would be covered by the General Health System. That is why there has never been a budget line for this. To cover the entire amount for an IVF, as is the request under discussion (at the moment the cost ranges from €4,000 to €6,000, depending on the medical centre and the doctor), "means that the amount currently spent by the Ministry of Health must be doubled". The HIO, said the deputy director of the Organization, Athos Tsinontidis, in order to include at least one IVF effort in the GHS with full coverage of the expenses, must strengthen its budget, "so if this is decided, the ministry's tuber with some support should be granted to the HIO". From the moment, he clarified, "that IVF is included in the services that from the beginning had remained in the Ministry of Health, we cannot decide without taking a political decision and without the HIO's board of directors deciding on the inclusion of this service in the GHS", concluded the director of the Health Insurance Organisation.
The placement of the Ministry of Health and the HIO, probably puzzled the MPs who called on both the Ministry and the Organization to proceed to a detailed study, to record the needs, to cost them and then to decide whether the best solution will be the one fully covered effort to be granted by the State or through the GHS with the necessary allocation of funds. However, they stressed that the State must ensure that in any case the amount given to women as an allowance is increased, as it is not enough to cover most of the cost of conducting an IVF effort.
As mentioned during the meeting, 5% of couples in Cyprus are currently undergoing IVF in order to have children. MPs stress that helping citizens to have children also helps in the state's effort to address infertility and the reduced childbearing rate in which Cyprus is in the lowest positions in the European Union.
Extension of prevention programs, requested by the Parliament
Regarding the conduct of Pap smears on all women on an annual basis and not every two years as is currently the case, the relevant proposal was initially submitted by the parliamentary group of AKEL, which in its letter to the Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipantelas and the HIO stated: "Since the Pap test is a valuable weapon in the fight against cervical cancer, we ask that it be provided free of charge through the GHS annually. Unfortunately, the incidence of cervical cancer has been particularly high in recent years in Cyprus and this demonstrates the need to provide every woman with the opportunity to undergo a Pap test, as well as a gynaecological examination once a year." The position of AKEL was then adopted by the MPs of all parties participating in the public health committee who also adopted the other two requests included in the letter.
In connection with the request for an annual PAP test aimed at (among other things) the prevention of cervical cancer, a request is also made for the extension of the hpv vaccine (which is responsible for this type of cancer) to younger ages to boys (a practice followed in most countries).
Finally, MEPs are calling for the extension of the population programme for the prevention of breast cancer (funded by the Ministry of Health) to include women aged 40 and over (and not 45, which is currently provided for under the state programme) while extending it to women aged 70 and over (the limit is currently 69 years old). As the MPs state in their letter, "as far as the screening program for the prevention of breast cancer is concerned, with the conduct of mammography, to be examined in the context of the national strategy and the protocols applied, such as the age of coverage is extended beyond 69 years. At the same time, taking into account the many cases of breast cancer at younger ages, we call for a review of universal access to mammography from the age of 40."
On these three issues, the HIO reserved its position when they are officially discussed in the Health Committee of the House.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS IN THE PAST
It is recalled that regarding the frequency of mammograms that women are entitled to through the GHS, as well as the frequency of "Pap-tests" to which women are subjected through the System, there have been protests in the past on the part of both organized groups representing cancer patients or related to breast cancer, as well as by gynaecologists who are contracted to the HIO and invoke practices followed throughout Europe.
