Skip to main content
14-12-2022

Antanas Matulas and the NHIF urge men to find time to check their health

Iliustracija

Antanas Matulas, Chair of the Committee on Health Affairs at the Lithuanian Parliament, together with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) under the Ministry of Health invites men to take care of their health and be more active in taking part at the free prostate cancer prevention programme, covered by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (CHIF). Oncological diseases, diagnosed in early stage, are much easier to treat and very often just a single visit to the doctor could give you a second life.

Prostate cancer is the men’s most common oncological disease in Lithuania. According to the Institute of Hygiene, the number of men that die because of this disease every year exceeds 500, while the morbidity rate has exceeded 22 thousand last year. Regardless, prostate cancer prevention programme remains the most unpopular every year. The record-breaking drop in the percentage of check-ups during the pandemic (to 13 per cent) has slightly recovered last year, but has not yet reached the pre-pandemic levels, remaining very weak. Last year, the share of the target-age men that have used the free opportunity to check for prostate cancer was less than 19 per cent.

‘Cancer can pick anyone – young or old, men, women or children – and is an enormous burden on patients, their families, the society and the state. Some of the oncological diseases can be prevented by not only choosing a healthy lifestyle, but also undergoing periodical check-ups. Dear men, hear this out: an early diagnosis of this disease increases the chance of recovery and living a full life. So, let’s find some time for ourselves and our health. Lithuania offers an opportunity of free check-ups – let’s use it and stay healthy.’ says Antanas Matulas, Chair of the Committee on Health Affairs at the Lithuanian Parliament.

According to medics, prostate cancer is an insidious disease, showing no symptoms in the onset, but once they do emerge, the disease has already advanced, resulting in a complicated treatment. World Health Organisation has calculated that an early diagnosis makes battling cancer much easier with a likelihood of recovery increasing to 90 per cent.

For this reason, the NHIF has been funding prostate cancer early diagnosis prevention programme for already 17 years. It targets men, aged 50–69 (inclusive), but, if the prostate cancer runs in the family (fathers or brothers), the age limit is lowered to 45 years. The examination should not make anyone unease, as it involves taking a blood sample to test for the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. A normal PSA means that the patient is healthy, while if the PSA level is increased, the family doctor will issue a referral to an expert to clarify the diagnosis. If, after conducting additional testing, the urologist detects the disease, the patient can start the treatment.

‘Unfortunately, in recent years, men’s participation at prostate cancer prevention programme has reached a record-breaking low with only every fifth of the several hundred thousand eligible for a free check-up actually showing up last year. That is why I would like to encourage the Lithuanian men to be more active and contact their family doctors with no fear of getting checked for prostate cancer. The test results could be invaluable and decisive for the rest of your life, and all it takes is a single visit.’ says NHIF Director Gintaras Kacevičius.

Prostate cancer prevention programme receives an increasing amount of funds from CHIF every year. This year the funds allocated reached as much as 2.6 million euro, which is 600 thousand euro more than last year.

Prostate cancer prevention programme is not the only programme that can be used by men in Lithuania. They are also welcome to check their health under cardiovascular disease and colon cancer prevention programmes. Men, covered by the compulsory health insurance and within the target age group, wishing to check their health under these programmes, only need to contact their family doctor.

NHIF is kindly reminding that people that do not fall under the age range, established in a specific preventive programme, but are worried about their health, should immediately go to their family doctor as well. Upon assessing their health, the doctor will conduct the necessary examinations to establish the reason for ailment and begin treatment or issue a referral to a doctor, specialising in a particular area.

(Freepik pict.)

The NHIF invites you:

Your questions are welcome by email[email protected]or phone: local (8 5) 232 2222, international +370 5 232 2222

Last updated: 16-01-2023

Related news:

Health budget in 2025: what benefits did we receive?

The right to be informed: what is important to know about reimbursable healthcare

Tens of millions of euros for residents’ health: for whom and how are medication co-payments covered?

Study reveals: a family doctor’s advice determines the decision to get checked

Unexpected ailments during the holidays: where to turn and what to know