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Preventive Screenings for Women in Pančevo Become a Luxury

Preventive Screenings for Women in Pančevo Become a Luxury

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Preventive health check-ups for women in Pančevo have become a luxury due to a shortage of gynecologists.
  • Only one gynecologist is reportedly working in a single shift at the local health center, seeing between 60 and 70 patients.
  • The opposition party claims this situation is a serious healthcare problem, forcing women to seek private care despite paying taxes.

In Pančevo, Serbia, the availability of essential preventive healthcare for women has deteriorated to the point where it is now considered a luxury. Marina Jankulović, a representative of the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), has highlighted the dire situation at the local health center, where a severe shortage of gynecologists means only one specialist is available per shift, tasked with examining an overwhelming 60 to 70 patients. This scarcity transforms routine check-ups, crucial for early detection and prevention, into an arduous and often impossible task within the public healthcare system. Jankulović criticizes the ruling authorities for touting successes while women in Pančevo are forced to resort to expensive private clinics for basic medical attention. She emphasizes that healthcare should not be a privilege dictated by financial means, asserting that women who diligently pay their taxes and contributions deserve timely and accessible medical services, not endless waiting and humiliation. This perspective reflects a common concern in Serbia regarding the accessibility and quality of public services, particularly in regions outside the capital. The SSP's statement frames the issue not merely as an organizational problem but as a fundamental failure in women's healthcare, underscoring the disparity between official narratives of progress and the lived realities of citizens.

This is no longer a matter of work organization, but a serious problem of women's healthcare.

— Marina JankulovićDescribing the severity of the gynecologist shortage in Pančevo.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.