Fighting Cancer in Georgia and Serbia
The evaluations of oncology projects emphasized prevention and timely, high-quality treatment.
Why prevention and early detection of cancer matter
Early detection of cancer increases the chances of survival if patients receive a prompt and a proper treatment. According to the EUROCARE-5 study (2014), the five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer in the Czech Republic reached 78%. This is close to the European average and remarkable compared with other post-communist countries in Europe. The study credits this success to organized screening programs, clinical guidelines, and high-quality health information.
Since 2008, the Czech Republic has been sharing its cancer-prevention know-how with Georgia and Serbia as part of its development cooperation.
Evaluation of the cancer-combat projects in Georgia and Serbia
By 2015, the Czech government had funded three projects aimed at fighting cancer in Georgia and Serbia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned evaluations of two of these: a three-year project in Georgia (2013) and a similar project in Serbia (2015).
At the end of 2016, we contacted all key stakeholders to assess the impact of these evaluations. We also compared both projects and proposed ways the Czech Republic (and other countries) could share their cancer-fighting experience.
Key conclusions (2016)
The Czech Republic should share lessons learned from areas where it has made significant progress and acquired valuable know-how. Women's cancer prevention and treatment stand out as a strong area for partnership. However, it's essential to combine prevention and early diagnosis with timely, high-quality treatment.
According to the evaluations, future projects should:
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Be based on genuine local needs
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Complement other development initiatives in partner countries
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Take key local factors into account
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Remain flexible throughout the project cycle
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Focus on real outcomes and take responsibility for them
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Use evidence and engage in long-term advocacy to achieve systemic change
Full evaluation reports
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The evaluation report for the Georgia project is available in English and Czech.
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The evaluation report for the Serbia project is available in English (with a Czech summary).
Impacts of the evaluations
Based on these findings, the Czech Republic adjusted its approach and began incorporating cancer treatment into its development cooperation.
The evaluation of the Serbia project also drew attention in Czech media — see the first article from 2014 and the second from 2016.
An article comparing both evaluations and summarizing lessons for similar transformational projects was published in the peer-reviewed journal International Issues & Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs, Vol. XXV No. 3-4 (2016), titled "Is There a Shared Transformational Experience?"