Martin Ferris
Ceist:315 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is proposed to establish the BreastCheck programme in the Southern Health Board area. [25175/02]
Vol. 558 No. 5
315 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is proposed to establish the BreastCheck programme in the Southern Health Board area. [25175/02]
BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, commenced in March 2000 with phase one covering the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Midland Health Board and North Eastern Health Board areas. Screening is being offered free of charge to all women in those areas in the target age group 50 to 64 years of age. The target population consists of approximately 136,000 women and represents about 50% of the national target population. To the end of August 91,906 women had been called for screening and 68,184 women have been screened. This represents an uptake of 74%.