About ORALERT
ORALERT-HPV stands for collaboration, education, and better access to prevention. Through cross-border medical partnerships, modern solutions, and campaigns targeting young people, the project aims to make HPV screening and education a natural step toward a healthier life.
About the project
ORALERT-HPV is a project dedicated to raising awareness, prevention, and early detection of oral HPV infection, with a focus on young people in the Romanian-Serbian border region. The project is based on an important reality: HPV infection is extremely common, but the oral form often remains less well-known, less discussed, and, consequently, harder to detect in time.
In Romania, HPV is associated with one of the highest rates of oral cancer in Eastern Europe. In Serbia, the situation remains equally concerning, especially given the high mortality rates compared to the European average. Lack of information, limited access to modern diagnostic methods, and the tendency to delay seeking medical care contribute to delays in detection and early intervention.
The ORALERT-HPV project was created precisely to address these real needs. Through a combination of education, modern screening solutions, and cross-border medical collaboration, the initiative aims to bring prevention closer to people, especially those in the age group most at risk.
A key component of the project is the development of the ORALERT mobile app, designed to facilitate access to information, appointments, consultations, and remote monitoring. For many young people, barriers such as lack of time, distance to a medical center, or even fear of going to the doctor can lead to dangerous delays. ORALERT aims to reduce these obstacles and create a simpler and more accessible path to prevention and diagnosis.
Essentially, ORALERT-HPV is a cross-border project co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Romania-Serbia Program, and an awareness-raising and support initiative designed to help young people better understand the risks associated with HPV and gain easier access to modern screening and prevention solutions.
Objectives
The main goal of the ORALERT-HPV project is to raise awareness and improve access to prevention and early detection of oral HPV, particularly among young people.
The project's objectives include:
Raising awareness
about oral HPV, how the virus is transmitted, and the risks associated with a lack of early diagnosis. There is still a great deal of misinformation surrounding this topic, and the project aims to provide clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand information.
Promoting prevention and early testing
so that people in high-risk groups can take timely action. In the case of HPV-related oral and oropharyngeal lesions, early detection can have a major impact on disease progression and treatment options.
Facilitating access to modern, less invasive screening methods
by integrating digital tools and developing an intervention model that better addresses the actual needs of young people.
Supporting collaboration between medical institutions in Romania and Serbia
to develop a more effective, joint approach to prevention, testing, and health education in the border region.
Training and supporting healthcare staff
so that the professionals involved can benefit from the exchange of experiences, up-to-date tools, and working environments tailored to this issue.
Reducing the barriers that prevent people from seeing a doctor
including lack of time, distance, fear, or lack of information. Through the ORALERT app and the project’s activities, prevention becomes more accessible and easier to integrate into daily life.
Partners
ORALERT-HPV brings together two leading medical institutions, from Romania and Serbia, in a partnership built around a common goal: to improve the prevention and early detection of oral HPV.
"Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timișoara
The “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timișoara is one of Romania’s leading academic and medical institutions, with extensive experience in medical education, research, and involvement in public health projects. As part of the project, the university contributes to the components of information dissemination, medical development, training, and coordination of activities focused on screening and awareness-raising.
“Đorđe Joanović” General Hospital, Zrenjanin, Republic of Serbia
The Serbian partner brings medical expertise and direct involvement to the project in developing a joint approach to the prevention and screening of oral HPV in the cross-border region. The collaboration between the two institutions facilitates the exchange of best practices, strengthens medical capacity, and enables the implementation of solutions tailored to the actual needs of the population in this area.
Funding (Interreg IPA Romania - Serbia)
The ORALERT-HPV project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Romania - Serbia Program.
This funding supports the development of joint initiatives between partners from the two countries, with the aim of addressing real needs in the border region and generating a positive impact in the targeted communities. In the case of ORALERT-HPV, the financial support contributes to the implementation of outreach, screening, and training activities, as well as the development of modern solutions for access to prevention and monitoring.
Through the Interreg IPA Romania - Serbia Program, the project has the necessary framework to build bridges of cooperation between institutions, to support the exchange of expertise, and to develop concrete tools that can improve public health in the region.
ORALERT-HPV is, therefore, more than just a local initiative: it is part of a joint, Europe-wide effort to bring prevention closer to people and to encourage access to modern and effective medical services.
