Guest of the meeting was doctor gynaecologist/obstetrician Mrs. Zvjezdana Fustin. 20 members of Roma and no-Roma women attended this event that was opened and moderated by ILC representative Sanja Beslic-Kozmus. 

Dr. Fustin explained the importance of regular medical check-ups and screening tests, and noticed that gynaecologists are taking care of three groups of patients:

a) Younger group that includes all girls from the age of 12 until sexual relations

b) Middle group which includes the young girls who are sexually active, young mothers and pregnant women

c) Older population that includes women in menopause

Dr. Fustin referred to rarely medical check-ups even during the pregnancy and invited women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy to think more about the checkups. She mentioned how prenatal care is used to detect, treat and prevent potential health problems throughout the course of the pregnancy while promoting healthy lifestyles that benefit both mother and child. Although Roma women do not come regularly to the medical examinations they have luck and give birth to healthy babies.

Dr. Fustin accentuated that all young women and girls have to visit a gynaecologist once a year while older women who are in menopause should have check-ups every two or three years.

She also mentioned two national programs that have functioned for many years with the aim of warning and informing women on deadly diseases that can be prevented with regular medical examination.

MIMOZA program is related to early detection of cervical cancer. Thanks to this program the number of women ill from the cervical cancers has been reduced even though it is still large.

At present, one woman in Croatia dies every year from cervical cancer whilst five are diagnosed cervical cancer.

The program NARCIS refers to early detection of breast cancer and all women who are at the age of 40 should perform breast self-examination. Moreover, persons with a genetic predisposition for this type of cancer disease should visit oncologists more often. In case if the first examination and laboratory tests are good, the next medical exam should be during following two years. But if women notice lumps in the breast, they should report it without delay to the oncologist.

Dr. Fustin stressed that medical examinations throughout these two programs are absolutely at no cost for patients. She also highlighted increasing number of women who were diagnosed and who die from the breast cancer in Croatia.

At the end of the presentation Dr. Fustin admonished all women in attendance to available existing methods of contraception and stressed that there is no reason to be afraid of using them.

After that women used the opportunity to ask questions and seek advices from the doctor Fustin. Our guest answered to all questions and emphasized once again importance of regular gynaecological check-ups. Thanks to this community meeting, that lasted almost an hour, women received some new information concerning health care of women.