National Screening Center of the Slovak Republic – Strengthening Organised Screening Programmes

The establishment of the National Screening Centre (NSC) represents a key milestone in strengthening cancer prevention and early detection in the Slovak Republic. Officially launched on 15 January 2026 as an organisational unit of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, the NSC is mandated to strengthen coordination, governance, quality assurance, and the long-term sustainability of organised cancer screening programmes, in alignment with European recommendations and the principles of evidence-based public health policy.

The NSC serves as a central coordinating body bringing together multidisciplinary expertise in public health, oncology, epidemiology, data analytics, and healthcare management. Its primary objective is to improve access to high-quality screening services and to increase participation rates within target populations.

The core areas of activity of the NSC include:

• methodological and organisational oversight of screening programmes;
• quality assurance and performance monitoring;
• development and integration of data infrastructure for screening;
• support for communication strategies and health literacy initiatives;
• reduction of inequalities in access to preventive services;
• facilitation of the implementation of new organised screening programmes.

The establishment of the NSC builds upon the findings and recommendations of the ICCCS project, implemented in cooperation with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) during the period 2022–2024. Key challenges identified in Slovakia include low population participation in screening programmes, fragmented data systems, regional disparities in access to healthcare services, and insufficiently developed communication and education strategies.

Participation in the EUCanScreen project represents an important opportunity for the Slovak Republic to benefit from international expertise and best practices. The NSC aims to actively contribute to knowledge exchange, strengthen capacity, and support the implementation of effective, evidence-based interventions in the field of organised screening and cancer prevention.

Authors

Zuzana Bárdyová, Patrícia Klamárová, National screening center, Ministry of Health of Slovak Republic