Greece’s health ministry reacted to reports of possible irregularities in the HPV screening project, arguing that it had simply followed the advice of scientists and the example of other European Union countries, avoiding answering other vital questions, according to Euractiv.
The government has unexpectedly changed the technical requirements for healthcare companies to participate in a cervical cancer prevention initiative supported by the EU Recovery Fund, leaving millions of women facing potentially extended and unnecessary delays.
The Health Ministry stated in a press release on Monday that it followed the advice of “distinguished scientists in our country” who stated that the country should “follow the example of the Netherlands, France.”
The Netherlands has reduced the number of laboratories performing HPV-DNA tests from 40 to four, with a daily productivity of 450 samples per laboratory.
The programme, which was due to be launched in 2022 and was part of the EU Country Recovery Plan, had been postponed without explanation. Intended for 2.5 million women between the ages of 21 and 65, it was voted on as a bill and published in the Greek government’s official journal in July 2022.
Four months later, in November, the government provided specific technical requirements for companies and laboratories to participate in the project. However, the National Organisation For Health Care Services (EOPYY), which was responsible for the project, suspended the project in April without explanation.
The move came as a surprise, as companies and laboratories had already started investing in the necessary diagnostic equipment in accordance with the technical requirements of the draft law. On 15 March 2024, the government published a new note about the project in the official journal, changing the technical requirements.
In particular, the new note provides that the capacity of machines installed in analytical laboratories, private or public, performing HPV DNA testing “to meet the production of 300 results per eight hours independently, without another machine.”
Former health minister Thanos Plevris who initiated and publicised the first technical requirements revealed that although he finalised the process as minister, he did not take further action after being replaced.
“I have not followed their [prevention programmes] progress because I was no longer a minister.”
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis stated that prevention programmes were under the responsibility of current Deputy Health Minister Eirini Agapidaki, denying that an individual approach was adopted.
It is Mrs Agapidaki’s responsibility. After my investigation into the case, no issues arise. […] More than one company can participate.
The European Commission reported last week that the EU executive would evaluate the cervical cancer prevention project in the context of milestone 165, which was part of Athens’ ninth request for disbursement from the EU Recovery Fund.
