Health and Community Services
November 4, 2010
Government Outlines
Commitment to Breast Cancer Prevention
The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister
of Health and Community Services, today outlined the Provincial
Government's continued commitment to breast cancer prevention and
provided statistics regarding the uptake of mammography testing in the
province.
According to Statistics Canada's 2008
Canadian Community Health Survey, Newfoundland and Labrador has one of
the highest uptakes of mammography testing in the country. Almost 90 per
cent of women in Newfoundland and Labrador between the ages of 50 to 69
have had at least one mammogram and almost 60 per cent of women between
the ages of 40 to 49 have had at least one mammogram.
"Our Provincial Breast Screening Program
provides mammograms and breast education to women between the ages of 50
to 69 years old, based on the guidelines of the Canadian Task Force on
Preventative Health Care in centres in St. John's, Gander and Corner
Brook," said Minister Kennedy. "However, it is clear from the high
uptake of mammography testing in our province that many women below the
age of 50 are consulting with their family physician and are having a
follow up mammogram."
The wait time for a mammography in the
province for diagnostic purposes to identify a potential problem is the
same day or up to four days. For routine breast cancer screening, the
average wait time for a mammogram is two months in Eastern Health
region, six to 10 months in Central Health region, less than 30 days in
Western Health and less than 20 days in Labrador-Grenfell region.
"Our government recognizes the importance
of screening as a way to reduce the incidence of cancer," said Minister
Kennedy. "It is for this reason that we continue to invest significantly
in this area. In addition, through the new Provincial Cancer Control
Advisory Committee our government will receive recommendations on how to
further enhance prevention and screening for cancer in our province."
The Provincial Government invested $10.9
million in Budget 2008 to purchase 12 new digital mammography units.
These units were placed in St. John's, Carbonear, Clarenville, Burin,
Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook, Stephenville, St. Anthony,
Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador City. The new units provide the best
imaging technology available for breast cancer screening. The technology
allows the mammogram to be enlarged or magnified to provide the best
quality picture and allows images to be electronically filed and stored
where they can be accessed in seconds.
Following a significant investment of
over $125 million in cancer prevention and treatment over the last seven
years, the Williams Government this week released a provincial cancer
control strategy entitled Gaining Ground: A Provincial Cancer Control
Policy Framework for Newfoundland and Labrador. Approximately $1.5
million in funding was announced for several cancer control initiatives
this fiscal year. More funding will be made available to support
priorities following the implementation of the new Provincial Cancer
Control Advisory Committee. Dr. Pradip Ganguly has been appointed as
chair of that committee and will provide advice to the minister on the
composition of the committee, and will give recommendations on other
related matters.
Budget 2010:
The Right Investments —
For Our Children and Our Future
includes approximately $18 million
to enhance cancer treatment and prevention throughout Newfoundland and
Labrador. This includes almost $8.6 million for the purchase of
equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer; $5 million to
continue implementing the recommendations of the Cameron Report; $3.2
million to cover the cost of 10 new drug therapies under the
Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program, including cancer
drugs; $800,000 to continue funding the HPV immunization program for
adolescent females; $317,000 for operational funding for a
radiopharmacist and a program director to begin planning for the new
Positron Emissions Tomography (PET) scanner at Eastern Health, and
funding to announce an accredited stem cell transplant program; and,
$240,000 for the initial implementation of a new Provincial Colorectal
Cancer Screening Program.
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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca
2010 11 04
1:45 p.m.
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