LIVING WITH CF IN EUROPE… TODAY AND TOMORROW

LIVING WITH CF IN FYR MACEDONIA

In some of our documents about equal access to care we wrote that children with CF in FYR Macedonia died on average before their 4th birthday. Fortunately the actual situation is a less dramatic according to more accurate and recent data we received some from Dr. Stojka Fustik, Pediatric Clinic, Clinical Center in Skopje. In his presentation at the 29th European CF Conference “Improved survival in cystic fibrosis associated with the specialized centre care” he showed that the development of a specialized CF centre at the Pediatric Clinic in Skopje and the application of modern forms of treatment and management of CF, resulted in considerable decrease of mortality rate (from 44.4% to 6.3%) and improved survival of CF patients. In the period from 1997 (after the CF center was established) to the end of 2004, 94 CF patients were treated. During that period 6 deaths occurred and the mean age of death of those 6 patients was 4 years, but their deaths were a result of social problems and unsuitable treatment before the CF center was established. Since then children stopped dying, due to development of the specialized CF Centre with multidisciplinary team which could provide a comprehensive care of the patients. CF population in the FYR Macedonia became larger and older [patients >13years: 33% (2004) vs. 5.7% (1996)]. However, Dr. Fustik fears the unfavorable socioeconomic condition in the country may have negative impact on their efforts to provide all CF patients with optimal treatment and care.
This situation once more shows the important influence of access to quality care on the survival chances and quality of life of children with CF!

For more info: Stojka Fustik, MD PhD
Pediatric Clinic, Clinical Center
Vodnjanska 17,
1000 Skopje, R. Macedonia.
Tel: +389 2 3075 675; Fax: +389 2 3129 027
Email: stojkaf@yahoo.com

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