Amil Družić: Preventing HPV-Related Cancers in South-East Europe

Amil Družić, Oncology and Radiotherapy Resident at the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Accelerating Regional Momentum: Preventing HPV-Related Cancers in South-East Europe.

As Vice Chair of the HPV and Hepatitis B Action Network at the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), it was a privilege to speak at ECO’s symposium ‘Accelerating Regional Momentum: Collaborating Across Borders to Eliminate HPV-Related Cancers in South East Europe’ during the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Annual Forum in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Across the region, we’re moving from theory to action:

1. Expanding HPV vaccination to include boys
2. Increasing screening coverage
3. Implementing HPV DNA testing as primary screening

In my talk, I highlighted progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where gender-neutral HPV vaccination is now a reality.

Countrywide, school health dispensaries and primary care centers are vaccinating with Gardasil 9 – with Sarajevo Canton among the active sites – for girls, boys, young women, and men aged 10–26 years.

Grateful for the collaboration and leadership of: Daniel Kelly OBE, Silvia Romeo, Hüsna Sarıca Çevik, Ana Banko, Goran Dimitrov, David Winterflood, and our UNFPA partner Tamar Khomasuridze. Together, we’re turning Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan into tangible progress for communities across South-East Europe.

Elimination is no longer a distant goal – it’s within reach.”

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