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17 clusters · 96 sources · 60 days · First seen · Last updated

Expanding preventive healthcare initiatives in the Balkans

Overview

Balkan nations continue to expand preventive healthcare initiatives. In Serbia, health centers in Šabac and Prokuplje have launched localized programs, including abdominal ultrasound screenings in Šabac and cardiovascular monitoring in Prokuplje. In Bulgaria, medical institutions are conducting nationwide tuberculosis screening campaigns throughout September 2026 as part of the National Program for Tuberculosis Prevention 2026–2030. Additionally, the Bistrev Group Medical-Dental Center in Sofia has offered free dental examinations for children and adolescents. New specialized campaigns are also emerging: the Prof. Ivan Chernozemski University Hospital in Sofia will offer free lung cancer screenings every Tuesday and Thursday throughout November 2026 to observe World Lung Cancer Month. In Plovdiv, the Dermatology and Venereology Clinic at UMBAL ‘St. Georgi’ is organizing free psoriasis screenings from October 28 to 30, 2026, as part of the ‘Health for All’ initiative. During this same period, the hospital’s Clinic for Radiotherapy will provide free consultations and screenings related to breast cancer awareness, utilizing technologies such as the CyberKnife robotic stereotactic radiosurgery system. In Greece, the ‘Prolamvano’ (I Prevent) National Prevention Program has transitioned into a permanent national health policy funded by 300 million euros through 2030. The program, relaunched as ‘Fofi Gennimata’, is sustained exclusively through national resources. As of late October 2026, the program is issuing electronic referrals via SMS to approximately 1.3 million women for free digital mammographies and ultrasounds. Expanding on the ‘PROLAMBANO’ initiative, Deputy Health Minister Eirini Agapidaki announced that a cardiovascular disease prevention program will relaunch in early November. During its initial phase, approximately 3.5 million people underwent screenings, identifying 250,000 cases of previously unknown hypertension and 1,163 individuals requiring urgent interventions like angiographies or stents. The program also includes testing for Lp(a) to mitigate hereditary risks. The first cycle’s breast cancer screenings identified 87,000 findings, leading to at least 6,000 diagnoses.

Entities

Greece · Ministry of Health · Eirini Agapidakis · EOPYY · Greek Ministry of Health

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Greece to relaunch cardiovascular prevention program in November

    Greece will relaunch the ‘PROLAMBANO’ health program in November, offering free cardiovascular and breast cancer screenings following a successful first cycle.

  2. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Breast cancer awareness initiatives held in Kalavryta and Lefkada

    Community organizations in Kalavryta and Lefkada held awareness events and clinical screenings to promote breast cancer prevention and early diagnosis during Pink October.

  3. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Greece expands reimbursement for cancer biomarker testing

    The Greek Ministry of Health plans to expand reimbursement for cancer biomarker testing by early 2027 to support personalized medicine.

  4. [HEALTH] 34 sources
    Greece marks World Breast Cancer Day with prevention initiatives

    Greece observes World Breast Cancer Day through the expansion of the 'PROLAMVANO' screening program and various national awareness initiatives focused on early diagnosis and advanced medical treatments.

  5. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Hellenic Red Cross conducts breast cancer prevention campaign

    The Hellenic Red Cross completed 80 community actions across Greece to promote breast cancer prevention, providing clinical exams to 3,000 people and training nearly 8,000 individuals in self-examination.

  6. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Greece restarts ‘Prolamvano’ breast cancer prevention program

    Greece is relaunching its ‘Prolamvano’ program, providing free breast cancer screenings to 2.38 million women aged 45–74.

  7. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    UMBAL St. Georgi announces free medical screenings in Plovdiv

    UMBAL St. Georgi in Plovdiv will offer free dermatology screenings for psoriasis and radiotherapy consultations for breast cancer from October 28–30, 2026.

  8. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Greece holds breast cancer awareness campaigns

    Breast cancer awareness and prevention campaigns were conducted in Missolonghi and Ptolemaida, Greece, focusing on early diagnosis and self-examination.

  9. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Greece to launch free lung cancer screening program in 2027

    Greece will launch a free lung cancer screening program in early 2027, targeting high-risk smokers and those with a family history using low-dose CT scans at seven national reference centers.

  10. [HEALTH] 13 sources
    Greece launches national breast cancer prevention initiatives

    Greece has launched a new phase of the 'Prolamvano' program, providing free breast cancer screenings and nationwide awareness campaigns to promote early diagnosis and prevention.

  11. [HEALTH] 29 sources
    Greece relaunches national prevention program for free breast cancer screenings

    Greece has relaunched its “Fofi Gennimata” national prevention program, offering free breast cancer screenings to over 2.3 million women via SMS referrals and a dedicated digital platform.

  12. [HEALTH] 6 sources
    Greece restarts ‘Prolamvano’ preventive health screening program

    Greece restarts its ‘Prolamvano’ preventive health program on October 13, offering free breast cancer screenings, though patients must now pay physician fees out of pocket if findings occur.

  13. [HEALTH] 16 sources
    Greece restarts ‘Proilvano’ national preventive health program

    Greece will relaunch the ‘Proilvano’ national health program on October 13, providing free cancer and cardiovascular screenings as a permanent, state-funded health policy through 2030.

  14. [HEALTH] 6 sources
    Greece to relaunch ‘Proilamvano’ preventive screening program

    Greece is relaunching the ‘Proilamvano’ program with national funds, offering free preventive screenings for cancer and cardiovascular diseases to over 6 million citizens.

  15. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Bulgaria launches nationwide preventive health screening campaigns

    Medical facilities across Bulgaria are conducting free health screenings this September, including tuberculosis prevention campaigns and dental checkups for children and adolescents.

  16. [HEALTH] 7 sources
    Greece to launch free preventive health screenings in September

    Greece will launch a new phase of its ‘PROLAMBANO’ prevention program in September, offering free screenings for cardiovascular diseases and three types of cancer to millions of citizens.

  17. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Health centers in Serbia launch preventive medical screening initiatives

    Health centers in Šabac and Prokuplje, Serbia, are conducting preventive medical screenings, including abdominal ultrasounds and blood pressure checks, to promote early disease detection.

Sources

agrinionews.gr · aixmi-news.gr · alfavita.gr · athina984.gr · bankwars.gr · best-tv.gr · biskotto.gr · blogs.sch.gr · businessdaily.gr · capital.gr · clinica.bg · cnn.gr · cretaone.gr · dete.gr · dimokratiki.gr · dnews.gr · dogma.gr · e-ptolemeos.gr · e-radio.gr · e-thessalia.gr · e-vima.gr · efsyn.gr · ekriti.gr · emvolos.gr · enikos.gr · epirusonline.gr · ertnews.gr · ethnos.gr · eviaportal.gr · fimotro.gr · fonimaleviziou.gr · fortunegreece.com · gosports.gr · healthmag.gr · healthreport.gr · healthweb.gr · iatronet.gr · iatropedia.gr · iefimerida.gr · ieidiseis.gr · insider.gr · irafina.gr · juznevesti.com · kalavrytanews.com · karvasaras.gr · kolivas.de · kosmoslarissa.gr · larissanet.gr

This summary has been updated 33 times: see revision history