A press conference was organized in Nikšić on May 19, 2022, at which the project “IMPORTANT – Improvement of Reproductive Health in Serbia and Montenegro” was officially presented, implemented by the FORS Montenegro in cooperation with the Health Center Novi Pazar. The project, which began on December 1, 2021, aims to improve the quality and availability of reproductive health care services and public awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles and prevention in maintaining reproductive health, especially for socially vulnerable groups. The speakers at the conference were Veselin Šturanović, Executive Director of FORS Montenegro, Marko Mitrović, M.D., Director of the General Hospital Nikšić, Vera Bulatović, M.D., Director of the Health Center Nikšić, Sasa Grbovic, M.D., director of the Hospital Pljevlja and Branka Stankovic, M.D., director of the Health Center Pljevlja. On that occasion, FORS Montenegro also signed memorandum of cooperation on the implementation of the project with the mentioned health institutions.
The main project activities include organizing preventive examinations, procurement of new equipment and vehicles for public health institutions in the target area, training on the use of new equipment, cross-border training for medical staff on topics related to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast and cervical cancer, lectures on women and youth on the topic of reproductive health, conducting research on knowledge and habits related to reproductive health, public awareness campaigns, publications on the importance of healthy lifestyles, preventive breast and gynecological examinations, cross-border conference on reproductive health, etc.
This two-year project is being implemented in Nikšić, Pljevlja, Andrijevica, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Gusinje, Žabljak, Kolašin, Mojkovac, Petnjica, Plav, Plužine, Rožaje and Šavnik in Montenegro and Novi Pazar, Nova Varoš, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica, Priboj, Vrnjacka Banja and Tutin in Serbia.
The IMPORTANT project is funded by the European Union within the IPA Cross-border Cooperation Program Serbia – Montenegro 2014-2020, and in Montenegro co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media. The contracting authority for the project is the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia – Sector for contracting and financing programs from European Union funds.
