Skopje, 28 April 2026 (MIA) — Health activists have warned that cervical cancer screenings are dropping across the country, saying that anti-vaccine misinformation is stopping progress against cancers that are entirely preventable.

Borjan Pavlovski, health program coordinator for the Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women, told a press conference Tuesday that the number of women screened for cervical cancer has dropped from 64,000 in 2023 to just 33,000 by 2025.

This decline leaves the country with a 32% three-year coverage rate, which is well below the 70% to 75% target. Currently, 24 out of every 100,000 Macedonian women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, a rate double that of Serbia and triple that of Greece and Slovenia, Pavlovski said.

"Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide and in our country, and is the fourth most common cancer in terms of incidence and mortality," he said, adding that high vaccination rates combined with regular screening were the World Health Organization's primary tools for eliminating cervical cancer deaths.

"To do this, 90% of girls need to be vaccinated, 70% of women need to be screened and 90% of those with detected changes need to receive treatment," he said.

Right now, the country is failing to meet these goals. "Unfortunately, in our country, the cervical cancer screening program, although it exists on paper and is adopted by the government every year, is almost never implemented in practice," Pavlovski said. 

He added that only 7% of women were currently being screened, which is far below the 70% goal needed to save lives.

He said the high mortality and infection rates were also due to the continued use of Pap smears rather than more accurate HPV tests.

"We appeal for the screening program to replace the Pap smear with an HPV test," Pavlovski said, noting that HPV tests are 99% accurate and easier to administer. 

He said early detection through regular testing every three to five years could entirely eliminate the disease and save the state the high cost of aggressive treatments like chemotherapy and surgery.

According to Pavlovski, investing in vaccines and testing is much cheaper than treating cancer. He called for public campaigns to teach women and girls that the HPV vaccine is beneficial and safe and that getting tested every three to five years can save their lives.

In response to a reporter's question, he highlighted the low uptake of the HPV vaccine, which currently stands at about 50% despite being mandatory. 

Pointing to anti-vaccination misinformation on social media as a major problem, Pavlovski said claims of the vaccine being harmful were completely false. 

He said the state provides the modern nine-valent vaccine, which protects against the specific HPV strains most likely to cause cancer.

The vaccine is recommended for both girls and boys at age 12. In addition to preventing cervical cancer in women, it protects men against throat and tongue cancers caused by the same virus, he said.

The Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women is calling on the Ministry of Health to increase the current budget of Mden 10 million for early detection.

Pavlovski noted that the budget has remained the same for a decade, preventing the country from improving its health outcomes. mr/