“This is a truly emotionally charged day. We are inaugurating the first great program of presymptomatic screening and giving it the name of Fofi Gennimata, who fought with courage and self-sacrifice not only to overcome her own illness but also to inform other women about the importance of presymptomatic screening,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday at an event to present the “Fofi Gennimata” program for free mammagrams to women aged 50 to 69 years old.
“With financing from the Recovery Fund we are in a position to put the first mass presymptomatic screening programme into operation, we are starting with breast cancer,” Mitsotakis said.
The prime minister said the program will use the best technological tools that the public sector has at its disposal.
“We should contact the women in the crucial ages first, encourage them to get examined and explain to them what must be done in the case that the first diagnosis from the mammagram calls for additional tests. It is a program with a strong social impact,” he continued.
According to Mitsotakis, it was especially important to build an information campaign targeting all Greek women, adding that the goals is to extend presymptomatic screening to other diseases and types of cancer: “The time when we will be in a position to defeat cancer is not far off. Public health, the “Spyros Doxiadis” program is not restricted to presymptomatic examinations. It concerns our individual behavior to ensure that we not only live longer but also better.”
Among such behavioral elements he listed not smoking, lauding the anti-smoking laws, restricting consumption of alcohol, regular exercise, health eating and avoiding excessive weight.
“With small and simple habits in our daily lives we can make great changes in health,” the prime minister noted, highlighting the very high rates of obesity in Greece and promising to become personally involved in programs of this type.
“We can make a great difference. As we can eliminate the only cancer that is visible to the naked eye, which is skin cancer,” he added, while urging women not to be afraid to get tested “because fear kills” and a cancer diagnosis in the present day was not a death sentence.
Latest News
ELSTAT: Greek Health Expenditures Reach €5.89 Billion in 2022
Finally, healthcare financing as a percentage of GDP decreased to 8.5% in 2022 from 9.18% in 2021, as per the Health Accounts System report.
Sonoco Paper Mill Plants Close After 30 Years in Greece
The shut down of the two paper mills in northern Greece comes a week after a glass plant closed in Athens
BoG: Private Deposits Down by 1.068bln Euros in Feb. 2024
Corporate deposits decreased by 912 million euros, compared to a decrease of 3.167 billion euros in the previous month
Greeks’ Buying Power Second Lowest in the EU
Greeks’ purchasing power is under pressure, ranking 26th among 27 EU member states.
Greek FinMin Says Digital Work Card Tackling Undeclared Work
Greece's recently launched digital work card aimed at tackling undeclared labor has already started to produce results, said Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis
MSC Cruises: More than 400 Visits to Nine Greek Destinations
MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of international shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A, will be sailing to Greek ports as of this month, expanding operations in the region year-round
Eurostat: Greece Among Cheaper Hourly Labor Cost Zones
In contrast, the countries that posted the highest hourly labor costs are Luxembourg (53.9 euros), Norway (51.9 euros), Iceland
GSEVEE: Economic Sentiment Indicator in Greece Down in Q2 2023
The drop follows a significant uptick in the ESI in the second half of 2022 (69.5 units) and a slight decline in the first half of 2023 (66.7 units)
Manpower Report: Sectors in Greece that Have Achieved Full Gender Equality in the Workplace
Greece surpasses this with 45%, showcasing progress but also room for improvement. Sectors like Consumer Goods and Services lead with 69% reporting full equality globally
Bank of America (BofA): Three Reasons Greek Economy Outperforms EC Average
BofA projects growth of 1.1% in 2024 and 1.7% in 2025, compared to forecasts for eurozone growth at 0.4%/1.1%, respectively