THE first phase of a programme for breast cancer screening will begin in June, the Minister for Health said yesterday.
Mr Noonan made the announcement at the publication of a plan to implement the national cancer strategy made public before Christmas. Some £6 million will be spent this year.
The initial stages of the breast screening programme will target 120,000 women in the 50-64 age group, representing half those selected. It will cover the Eastern, North Eastern and Midland Health Board areas.
The Minister said it was a gradual process because expert advice stressed the need to introduce it on a phased basis to ensure "good practice" throughout, to cut down on false results, and have the clinical expertise available to conduct the programme effectively.
He said they would build on the work of the original Eccles Street breast screening programme, organised by the Mater Foundation and the Department of Health.
A programme for cervical screening of women in the 25-60 age group will also be introduced. An advisory committee has been appointed, headed by Dr Michael Darling, of the Rotunda Hospital.
"Cervical screening is a worthwhile preventive health measure when delivered as an organised screening programme, he said. A pilot programme will be carried out in the Mid-Western Health Board area.
The Minister said that £1.5 million had been allocated to alleviate the present delays in cervical screening throughout the State.
I am aware that in some hospitals the waiting period for the reporting of cervical smear results is in excess of the recommended interval of one month," said the Minister, adding this was "unacceptable" and that additional medical personnel are being appointed to shorten delays.
As part of the policy of reorganising cancer treatment services and the setting up of regional centres, Mr Noonan announced the appointment of nine directors of cancer services, two in the Eastern Health Board area and one each in the other boards. These appointments were made from existing consultants within the cancer treatment areas.
Three supra-regional services will be headed by a regional director of cancer services with responsibility for co-ordinating services and developing a cancer plan for the region.
"The services in this country need to be improved to bring us up to the best international practice. They are very good in Dublin but not other parts of the country and a number of people ended up being referred to Dublin. Now there will be specialisation in the regional centres, meaning people can be treated closer to home."
Mr Noonan said that cancer strategy had been one of his key policy objectives. In the past 20 years various strategies had reduced cancers in the under-65 age group by 7 per cent. The present strategy would reduce the disease by 15 per cent over the next decade.
The rate of deaths due to cancer - 7,500 a year - is higher than the EU average. After heart disease, it is the State's second biggest killer among under-65s.