WHO reports 2000 avoidable deaths annually in Slovakia

Around 2,000 deaths each year in Slovakia could be prevented with better healthcare practices, Darina Sedlakova, head of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Slovakia, said on Tuesday.

Statistics show that neglecting prevention and insufficient healthcare are behind these deaths. Along with Estonia and Hungary, Slovakia has the worst records among developed OECD countries in terms of avoidable mortality.

New Slovak Health Minister Tomas Drucker previously said he aimed to change these unfavorable statistics during his term in office.

"I don't know whether it's possible to achieve this during one term in office, but all the mechanisms heading towards it can be set," said Sedlakova.

She stressed the importance of screenings, gastroenterological examinations, mammograms and regular gynecological checks.

"Preventive checks could uncover diseases in their initial stage when they are still curable," she added. Some patients only visit a doctor when the illness is advanced, however.

Less than 50 percent of Slovaks undergo preventive checks on a regular basis, while around 30 percent undergo special examinations.

"It would be ideal if at least 60 percent of people underwent regular preventive checks," said Sedlakova, adding that the most developed countries report figures like this.