In recent days, MZ SR, NOÚ and NOI began to talk intensively about the tasks needed to create a complex cancer center in Slovakia. This is the only pan-European institutional and prestigious accreditation that coversone centre for oncology, research and education. In fact, a comprehensive cancer centre should provide on-the-spot care across different types of cancer and across different stages of healthcare provision. An example of the accredited OECI centre is the recently successfully accredited Masaryk Cancer Institute in Brno.
In order to create a comprehensive cancer centre in Slovakia, it is essential to fulfil tasks such as: to ensure better availability of quality medical care, to effectively link basic, translational and clinical research, and to provide quality and systematic post-graduate and continuous education across health professions and disciplines involved in providing care for the cancer patient. The National Cancer Institute in Bratislava is already the reference center for oncology care in Slovakia and works closely with the Biomedical Centre SAV and LF UK, but it will be very important to strengthen this cooperation in the construction of a complex cancer centre.
Minister of Health of the SR MUDr. Mgr. Michal Palkovič, PhD. MHA, MPH: The importance of creating a functioning infrastructure for the provision of comprehensive, health, cancer care, where research and education have a strong place, is of great importance in current knowledge and is in line with the established objectives of the European Cancer Plan and the National Cancer Programme Action Plans 2021 and 2025. The accreditation of OECI has a long tradition, not only increasing the credit of the centre or the country in which the centre is located, but allowing the level of existing quality to be shifted within the requirements imposed for accreditation. It is a huge opportunity for Slovakia to improve quality in medical care, research and education.

The implementation of the comprehensive cancer centre in Slovakia was also dominated by the visit of Simon Oberst, the OECI (Organisation of European Cancer Institutes), who met with the Minister of Health of the Slovak Republic in July 2023, as well as representatives of the National Cancer Institute, the National Cancer Institute, the East Slovakian Cancer Institute and the Biomedical Centre of the Slovak Republic.
The leading expert was interested in the quality of the provision of oncology care for patients NOÚ not only professionally but also humanly, as well as the important role of this specialised institute as a reference office for oncology care in Slovakia. As part of the survey of some key workplaces, he highlighted their modern equipment and equipment, as well as a very pleasant atmosphere and motivating environment. At the same time, however, he named many areas that need to be supported in order to ensure comprehensive oncology care for Slovak patients.
Deputy for Health Care in NOÚ, MUDr. Jozef Dolník, PhD., MPH: I see Simon Oberst's visit to the National Cancer Institute as an important and important step towards building a complex cancer centre in Slovakia under strict accreditation criteria of OECI.
The creation of a complex cancer centre in Slovakia is of particular importance. It joins forces, capacities and links key high-level health care institutions, which are also strongly involved in research and education activities." MUDr. Maria Rečková, PhD., Director National Cancer Institute (NOI).
Coordinator for research and educational projects NOI, RNDr. Soňa Čieriková, PhD. added: We are very pleased that, thanks to the activities and intensive cooperation of the National Cancer Institute in several major European projects with prestigious institutions, we are also able to support activities that raise awareness of the importance of providing high-quality comprehensive oncology care, including the need to link treatment with research and education."
The financing of some components that will contribute to the creation of the National Cancer Centre in the NPO in conjunction with other partners is listed in the National Cancer Programme , which was approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic in 2021 in the updated version of the Action Plans 2021 . The main source should be the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Operational Programme Slovakia and other resources allocated to the construction of high-quality health care, research and education centres. Ideally, a complex cancer centre could be accredited for at least two years.