National cervical screening programme launched

A national screening programme aimed at reducing the number of cervical cancer cases by 75 per cent was announced today by Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne. Addressing a press conference, Mr Fearne said some 33,000 women aged between 25 and 35 would be receiving invitations to undergo smear tests at health centres across the island. The invitations, 11,000 of which have already been sent out, are to be signed and returned to the National Screening Centre at Lascaris Wharf Valletta. Mr Fearne said between 10 and 15 women contracted cervical cancer in Malta every year resulting in around five deaths annually. The hope, however, was to reduce the incidence of the cancer to around three cases-a-year minimising deaths as much as possible. Stephanie Xuereb form the National Screening Unit said the programme was based on EU guidelines, meaning the tests would be free and standardised. Some 300 tests have already been conducted.