I ignored the Pap smear – I had cancer

The central government is starving out private gynecologists. Many of them may be closed. This is what opposition politicians are now warning about. And they got the nod, at least when it came to sampling changes in cells.

Many gynecological clinics stop accepting patients for examination in case of cell changes and follow-up after gynecological cancer. Some smaller receptions may also be closed.

This is because the reimbursement the region pays for specialized gynecological health care options is very low. The liberal and moderate opposition parties and the Christian Democrats warned of this in a letter to the Health and Medical Services Board.

Compensation has remained unchanged since the care option was introduced in 2012.

seriously

When it comes to investigating cell changes and following up on gynecological cancers, the Central Council believes that the 20 or so clinics still receiving the patient pool are too few and that “the situation is serious.”

The Board therefore decided that a new compensation of SEK 750 should be paid for each sample. The total cost is estimated at 21.5 million Swedish krona.

But there are many changes underway in gynecology. Each clinic must, for example, have a staff of at least 200% gynecologists, compared to the current 150%. This is the idea that should lead to bigger, more powerful receptions.

to provide

But Inger (left), played by Amelie Tarshi, is not satisfied. She believes private caregivers are starving.

– Care providers are forced to close or choose not to enter into new agreements. She says it has become difficult for women to get an appointment with a gynecologist.

According to her, accessibility risks are getting worse and more people will have to travel longer.

– The stated goal of rethinking choice of care is, among other things, to reduce care costs and expenses. It says 20 million Swedish krona must be saved.

Many receptions

There are 36 gynecology clinics in the area.

All but one are privately operated.

The ambition is to open receptions in Järfälla and Haninge under the auspices of the district.

Source: Stockholm Region

Opposition: Having a harder time and traveling longer ✔ Board of Directors reaches 20 million

The ambitious plan to eliminate cervical cancer appears to be collapsing. Only 38 percent of the target group in Stockholm accepted the vaccination offer.

If 70% of women born in 1994-1999 vaccinate themselves against HPV, so-called herd immunity is achieved. The infection that could cause cervical cancer is then eliminated.

But so far, only 38% have responded to the vaccination offer in the Stockholm area.

The goal is to achieve 70 percent this year, across the country. Only 6 of Sweden's 21 regions will be ready.

Since 2010, girls have received the vaccine through the school health service, and since 2020 also for boys. Now they want to close the vaccination gap that occurred for those born before vaccinations began.

150 die

HPV (human papillomavirus) consists of 200 different types of viruses, some of which can cause cancer. It is spread mainly through sexual contact.

Every year, about 550 women develop cervical cancer in Sweden, and about 150 die from the disease.

In 2021, the region decided to provide so-called catch-up vaccination to 76,000 women in the age group, which is a step towards achieving the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating this type of cancer.

– We benefited when we built vaccination capacity during the pandemic, and then other regions followed suit, says opposition councilor Desiree Petros (KD), who championed this issue.

The opposition is critical

Last spring, moderates demanded to know what measures had been taken to increase vaccination, and now the Sweden Democrats and Christian Democrats are also demanding information.

“With the current vaccination rate, it will take approximately 9 years (!) for the region to reach the target,” KD wrote.

KD also suggests closing the vaccination gap for boys and young adults, and that the region quickly vaccinate those still in high school.

– There seems to be no greater commitment to this matter in the current board, and that is what worries me, says Petros.

Invitations can be sent

But Karin Walden (centre) in the regional council disagrees with this description:

– We have completed more vaccinations than ever before in the country, but it has become slower recently. Therefore, we have ongoing information dissemination activities, for example, through multilingual health informants and at events such as Järvaveckan, she says.

In addition, they are now considering sending invitations to women in areas where vaccination rates are lowest.

There doesn't seem to be any major commitment

Both boys and girls are vaccinated

Since 2010, HPV vaccination has been offered to girls (born 1999 onwards) through the school health service in the fifth and sixth grades.

Since 2020, vaccinations for boys (born 2009 onwards) are also offered through the school health service.

Women born in 1994-1999 can get the vaccination for free at a midwife's clinic, Vaccindirekt or Glömstapoolen.

Women between the ages of 23 and 64 are regularly called in for a Pap smear. In the Stockholm region, the HPV vaccine is offered at the first screening.

Even women who have previously been vaccinated can get the vaccine, as there is now a new, more effective vaccine.

Source: Cancer Foundation

Désirée Pethrus (KD) calls for action to close the vaccination gap.

Ingrid Johansson/Most photos

76,000 young women were supposed to receive the HPV vaccine, but only 38% accepted. “Priorities must be set if we want to reach the goal.”