site.btaFirst Specialized Training Programme on HPV Vaccination Awareness for Medical Interns Held at Trakia University

The first specialized training programme for medical interns under the European Commission's HUMANCODE project - Healthcare and Unique Measures Against Noncommunicable and Communicable Diseases for vulnerable and socio economically disadvantaged groups in Eastern Europe - concluded at Trakia University in Stara Zagora. The training focused on improving access to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and preventing HPV-related cancers, the university said.

The training was led by Dr Ivelina Simeonova. The lectures and discussions addressed public health issues and the need to increase HPV vaccination coverage, as the virus is associated with the development of several types of cancer. The university said particular emphasis was placed on developing scalable strategies for long-term international cooperation in healthcare and ensuring the sustainability of the results achieved through the project’s activities.

The HUMANCODE project is funded under the European Union’s EU4Health Programme (2021/2027). The project seeks to increase HPV vaccination coverage by 30% in underserved populations, enhance healthcare professionals’ capacity to address vaccine hesitancy through targeted training, implement innovative vaccination hubs to reach 5,000 and assist in the vaccination of at least 1,000 individuals from Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine, disseminate best practices, and develop scalable strategies for transnational healthcare collaboration.

As the project’s official coordinator, Trakia University in Stara Zagora is working to strengthen the professional capacity and practical skills of future doctors and healthcare professionals, while also promoting the exchange of international best practices in healthcare, the university said.