Approximately 50 pensioner women squeezed inside NGO Vita Jeta’s office, waiting to take a free medical exam that determines if they have osteoporosis. This was the fourth group to undergo the check-up. In total, 600 women will receive the service provided by Vita Jeta, a KWN member organization.    
     
Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease characterized by a decrease in bone mass and density. This can lead to an increased risk of fracture. Since most of the association’s approximately 1,000 members are pensioners, they are particularly at risk of this disease. 
     “This is the second time we have been supported by KWN’s Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) in offering exams to diagnose potential cases of osteoporosis to our NGO members; we already offered these check-ups to 240 members back in 2012,” said Ajshe Nuhiu, Executive Director of Vita Jeta. 
     
Few of Vita Jeta’s members can afford regular checkups that will enable them to detect osteoporosis early. With this in mind, the association also offers treatment and medicines for the women who are diagnosed with the disease from the exam. 
     “In 2012 I was diagnosed with osteoporosis and the doctor together with the NGO’s staff helped me by offering treatment and medicine,” said Arzie Borovci, a member of the association. “Now that I repeated the medical exam, it turned out that my condition has improved and I am doing much better, therefore I am very thankful to Vita Jeta.” 
     
The association has also initiated a petition requesting for the Ministry of Health to provide an examination device to the public health institution. This would allow more women to be given free exams to diagnose potential cases of osteoporosis. 
     “We expect that all our NGO members will sign the petition, but if that number is not enough we won’t stop collecting more signatures, in order to achieve this,” said Ajshe Nuhiu.         
     
Vita Jeta has received support for this work from the 5^th round of Kosova Women’s Fund, supported by the Kvinna till Kvinna (KtK).