The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs is offering free 3D mammograms and follow-up care under Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in a move officials say is aimed at reducing breast cancer deaths among women in Saint Lucia.
Health officials are urging women to take advantage of the initiative during October, which is marked globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The screening service, which started in July, includes 3D mammograms, follow-up ultrasounds, biopsies and laboratory testing. The mammograms are available at Millennium Heights Medical Complex and St Jude Hospital.
To access the service, women must first call their nearest wellness centre to confirm the dates of cancer screening clinics in their community and present a valid ID when attending.
“Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women and the primary contributor to premature deaths in women. That is why the Ministry of Health felt it was necessary to offer screening under Universal Health Coverage for women,” said Dr Alisha Eugene-Ford, director of Universal Health Coverage, in a statement.
According to Eugene-Ford, the initiative reflects the government’s broader effort to expand access to critical health services. “Universal Health Coverage is really ensuring that everyone receives the health care they need, when and where they need it, without going through financial hardship or ruin,” she said.
Other services already offered under UHC include maternity care, pap smears, men’s health clinics, and treatment for snake bites.
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The system is really stacked against men. Overwhelmingly so! And I am MAD about that! Here are some statistics:
1. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men, with a mortality rate of 46.1 per 100,000.
2. Breast cancer is the most fatal cancer among women, with a mortality rate of 22.5 per 100,000.
3. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men, with a mortality rate of 46.1 per 100,000.
4. Colorectal cancer rates are also higher in men (10.3 per 100,000) than in women (8.6 per 100,000)
Just looking at these statistics, I would think men should be given some attention especially under the “NEW” universal health system. So far, I believe women and children are the ones who overwhelmingly benefit from the free services.
Am I the only one who see the disparity?