In a statement about the sudden stop in the Breast Screening Programme, JPP deputy, Paulo Alves states:
“It is regrettable the disrespect shown by SESARAM in the failures of their breast screening programme as well as a lack of consideration to the population in allowing women to believe that the region has a fully operational breast screening service, especially when the Board of Directors knows that this is untrue.”
“The truth is, that the mobile breast cancer screening units are no longer working. For months, the examinations have not been double-read. In other words, there are women who have undergone the initial screening and who may have breast cancer, but because there are no radiologists available to perform the double reading their situation is not being picked up or diagnosed.
Paulo Alves further added that “the truth is that there are no radiologists assigned to the screening service, and that these professionals are not being properly valued,” stating that it is “ignoble” the way in which the Board of Directors is “lying about the situation currently affecting the Breast Cancer Screening Programme.”
Concluding he added…
“Mr. Secretary of Health, take care to understand the state of regions health, and honour the promises you have made to the Madeirans and Porto-Santenses.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
