The Black Sea Countries Coalition on Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention is a voluntary alliance of policy makers, experts, and clinicians from countries in the Black Sea region and South Caucasus. The coalition was formed to improve cancer prevention efforts in member countries by sharing knowledge and experiences, as countries are at different stages of implementation. Key objectives of the coalition include identifying and sharing successful models, establishing training centers, developing joint guidelines, and promoting cooperation with international organizations. The coalition has already launched a website, conducted country assessments, and begun capacity building programs in Georgia. Meetings have been held in Tbilisi and Istanbul to advance the coalition's work.

1. The Black Sea Countries Coalition
on
Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention
Maka Maglakelidze, M.D., MScIH
Technical Assistant of the Black Sea Countries Coalition

2. The Black Sea Coalition
What is the Black Sea Coalition?
• A voluntary alliance of policy makers, technical
experts and clinicians from the countries of the
Black Sea basin and South Caucasus who wish to
cooperate and share knowledge to improve breast
and cervical cancer prevention in their countries

3. The Black Sea Coalition
Why a Coalition?
• Countries in the region share similar problems with cancer
prevention but are at different stages of program
implementation so:
– The experiences of one country could benefit others
– Resources can be developed once by the group instead once by each
country
• Achieves a higher political priority and can attract the
involvement of more influential politicians
• International competition can motivate national action

4. Key points supporting
the formation of the Coalition
• Ms Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs, First Lady of Georgia and UNFPA
CO Georgia:
– Many years of dedication of Mrs. Roelofs towards the issues of healthcare has
grew into fruitful collaboration of Mrs. Roelofs and UNFPA CO Georgia
• Productive partnership that has realized many successes for
women’s health in Georgia:
– The establishment of the breast and cervical cancer screening programs in
Tbilisi
– The agreement of the Georgian government to expand the Tbilisi screening
programs to the rest of Georgia
• Taking the efforts to support knowledge sharing and to
strengthen partnerships on a regional level:
― The 1st Black Sea Countries Conference on Partnership for Breast and Cervical
Cancer Prevention, held in September 2009 (“Batumi Declaration”)
― Support of UNFPA CO offices and the Ministries of Health of Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine

5. The Black Sea Coalition
Objectives:
• Identification & sharing of “successful” models
• Use of the website as forum for sharing relevant
knowledge
• Establishment of regional training centers for
staff capacity development
• Cooperative development of guidelines &
protocols in accordance with international
standards

6. The Black Sea Coalition
Objectives:
• Joint procurement of equipment & supplies
• Joint programs for advocacy, awareness raising,
public health education and research
• Development of joint proposals for funding
through regional programs promoting
cooperation among the Black Sea countries
• Promote interaction between the member
countries and relevant international organizations

7. Coalition Action Plan
Strategic Directions:
1. To support effective integration of Breast and Cervical Cancer prevention
programs into national development agendas.
2. To support public health education and communication on Breast and
Cervical Cancer prevention.
3. To support capacity development of infrastructure and of
material/technical basis in the field, at country and regional levels.
4. To support capacity development of the human resources in the field, at
country and regional levels.
5. To support the development or improvement health information systems
on Breast and Cervical Cancer.

8. Financial support
• Support of the Secretariat for 2010-2011:
― UNFPA CO Georgia
• Support of the travel/accomodation of the Steering
Committee (SC) members, UNFPA representatives for the
SC meetings:
― UNFPA COs
― Ministries of Health
• Organization of the SC meetings:
― Ministry of Health and UNFPA CO of the hosting country
• Special arrangements and security measures related to the
visit of high level political figures:
― Hosting government of the SC meeting

9. The Black Sea Coalition
Actions so far:
• Agreement of Terms of Reference & Action Plan
• Election of the Steering Committee
• Launch of the website: www.bsc-coalition.com
• Survey of B&C cancer prevention in each country
• Summary of data on awareness and attitudes to B&C
cancer in each country
• Development of national capacity assessment tools for
each of breast and cervical cancers
• Capacity building actions running in Georgia: cervical
cytology, mammography and cancer registration

10. 1st meeting of the Coalition Steering Committee
Tbilisi, Georgia, March 16-17, 2010

11. 2nd meeting of the Coalition Steering Committee
Istanbul, Turkey, February 24-25, 2011

12. 2nd meeting of the Coalition Steering Committee
Istanbul, Turkey, February 24-25, 2011

13. Coalition’s role in
global health architecture
• MDGs:
MDGs 4,5 and 6 are focused on global health problems that are addressing or are closely
linked to women health and MDG 8 itself calls for a global partnership for development.
• A “health lens” on foreign policy:
linking health and international policies acquiring more and more strategic importance (Oslo
Ministerial Declaration 2008, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ministerial
Declaration on implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to
global public health 2009)
• Strengthened focus of the international institutions on cancer
prevention:
with the increasing trend of premature deaths caused by NCDs, the focus on the
preventative measures for cancers and Breast and Cervical Cancers particularly as the leading
forms of cancers in women , from the high level international institutions is strengthened
(NCDs resolution of the UN General Assembly 2010).

14. Thank you for your attention…