Cervical and Breast Screening Backlogs Must Be Cleared Before Winter
Éirígí For A New Republic activist, Jenny White, has called for the backlogs in the cervical and breast screening programmes to be be cleared before the winter cold and flu season and a posssible second wave of Covid-19.
As a result of Covid-19, routine screening was paused by the both HSE and the NHS several months ago. As a result an estimated 250,000 individual cervical and breast screenings were postponed across the country. Speaking from Donaghmede in Dublin Jenny White said,
“We know that the cervical and breast screening programmes are highly effective when they are up and running properly. Many Irish women are alive today because these programmes identified abnormalities at an early stage, allowing for prompt treatment.
The late Emma Mhic Mhathúna (pictured top) and Vicky Phelan (directly above) are two of the better known victims of a cervical smear scandal which directly affected over one thousand women and their families.
Tragically, we also know the terrible price that was paid by scores of Irish women when screening wasn’t done properly. Given the scandals of recent years, it is imperative for public confidence that cervical and breast screening is done on time and to the highest possible standard.
While the cervical screening programme in this state is now running again, it is doing so at a reduced capacity and the breast cancer screening programme is still paused. This just isn’t good enough, as it means that the backlogs are going to continue to grow in the coming weeks and months.
If the backlogs aren’t cleared in the next couple of months it seems likely that the screening programmes could be scaled back or even paused again in the event of a second wave of Covid-19 or a severe cold an flu season. We are calling on both states to make the resources available for the backlogs to be cleared now, during a period of relative calm. To do less would be to fail the women of Ireland again”.