Debrecen4U
January 29, 2026
Programs Organized in Debrecen for European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week
In connection with European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, programs linked to the Mályvavirág Foundation are being organized nationwide under the title ‘Pearl Time for Yourself.’
As part of raising awareness about women’s health, a communal bead‑stringing event was held on 28 January 2026 at the Health Promotion Center of the Debrecen Primary Care and Health Development Institute (Daefi), located at 11 Szent Anna Street.
The pearl symbolizes protection against human papillomavirus (HPV)—the virus that causes cervical cancer—cervical cancer prevention, and the social solidarity surrounding it. When creating bead‑string bracelets, each bead threaded onto the string represents care, unity, and the fragility of life.
According to Csaba Papp, Director of Daefi, the fight against cervical cancer is one of the institute’s key priorities. The center also hosts the Debrecen branch of the ‘Mályvavirág Points,’ which operate within a nationwide network and offer education, guidance, professional assistance, and support to those battling the disease, those recovering from it, survivors, and their families.
Cervical cancer can be prevented in two main ways. One is vaccination: seventh‑grade primary school students—primarily girls, but also boys as potential carriers of the virus—can receive the HPV vaccine free of charge thanks to state support. HPV is responsible for the development of cervical cancer, and experience to date shows that the vaccine provides highly effective protection. The vaccination can also be requested after seventh grade, but in that case it is no longer free.
He noted that vaccination coverage in this age group is exceptionally high in Debrecen: nearly 90 percent among girls and close to 80 percent among boys—both well above the national average. He expressed his gratitude to local parents for taking prevention seriously and safeguarding their children’s health.
The other key method of protection against cervical cancer is regular participation in gynecological screening. According to Csaba Papp, women should consider these screenings practically essential for maintaining their health, especially since cervical cancer is highly treatable when detected early. In Hungary, 1,000 to 1,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and 400 to 500 die from the disease—losses that could be prevented. He emphasized that women who did not receive the HPV vaccine during or after their school years should be particularly diligent about attending screenings, though regular check‑ups are crucial for all women.
IIn connection with the event, Deputy Mayor Diána Széles noted that the health education and awareness‑raising activities linked to Daefi’s long‑standing school health screening programs play a key role in drawing young people’s attention to the importance of HPV vaccination and, more broadly, to taking responsibility for their own health. Students from the Svetits Institute also participated in the beading activity, and as Diána Széles pointed out, conversations with them revealed that many had already received the vaccine. This demonstrates that the awareness efforts carried out through school health programs are having a positive impact on young people.
The deputy mayor also emphasized the importance of women regularly attending gynecological screening examinations, with particular attention to HPV screening.
Daefi’s Health Promotion Center on Szent Anna Street also plays an active role in raising awareness through personal guidance, informational materials, and various programs. Their aim is that the more conversations take place about health preservation, the more health‑conscious the people of Debrecen will become.
The beaded bracelets will be given to patients receiving care in the gynecology departments of the University of Debrecen Clinical Center. These small symbolic gifts remind them that they are not alone and that others are thinking of them—an important and uplifting message.
Municipal representatives Ibolya Aurélia Orosz and Edina Szilágyi also attended the event.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
