Roma face less favorable health than the rest of the population. Newborn mortality among Roma is by 1.5 times higher than the Macedonian population in 2017.
In the same year, almost 50% of Roma deaths occurred before 65 years of age, compared to 23% in the rest of the population, say an association of organizations that held a press conference today.
According to the organizations, preventive health care in terms of reproductive health, as well as the health of mothers and children is crucial in providing a healthy start to life and thus improving the health of the entire population.
Through the work of the associations in the field of immunization of Roma children in the municipalities of Suto Orizari, Delcevo, Vinica and Pehcevo, the coverage of Roma children with vaccination increased significantly from 2012 to date and currently the coverage is over 90%.
"However, the Roma community of these municipalities still faced problems in access to preventive health care for the advancement of women's reproductive health and maternal and child health. Key detected problems are: insufficient coverage with visits by patronage nurses, insufficient coverage with health education, insufficient coverage with systematic examinations for children outside the education system, insufficient coverage with the Cervical Screen Cancer Screening Program and service charges by the parent gynecologists, "the organizations said.
