Yzabelle Bostyn
THE Balearic Islands health agency ‘forgot’ to enroll over 4,000 women in the island’s Breast Cancer Prevention Programme, it has emerged.
Between 2021 and 2024, some 40% of women between 50 and 54-years-old were missed by the system.
As a result, they were not invited to complete routine mammograms designed to detect early signs of breast cancer.
This number rises to 43% when women who turned 50 during this period are taken into account.
The Balearic Islands health system also failed to enroll them in the system.
Breast cancer screenings are recommended every two years for women aged 50 to 69 and 146,000 women are currently enrolled in the programme.
Last year, 43,000 women joined the system, 59% of which had to undergo the check.
General Director of Public Health, Elena Esteban, recognised the system’s failure and claimed it was down to ‘high rotation of administrative staff’.
She said the invitation system is manual and outdated, requiring lots of ‘manpower’ which the department does not have.
As a result, the incorporation of the missed women into the system will be carried out by an external administrative company.
They can expect an invitation in the post, though this will soon be changed to an automatic procedure using SMS messages.
According to Esteban, the plan to automise the health systems is already underway.
She hopes data will be up to date within four months so that the missed women can be invited to the programme.
It comes as Son Espaces Hospital is experiencing delays of up to two months for breast cancer screenings.
Now, Esteban has requested the hospital open appointments during weekends to help meet demand and manage delays.
