As part of their plan to get more people screened for breast cancer, the provincial government announced today they were lowering the age of self-referrals from 50 to 40 for screening.
“Breast cancer has touched the lives of so many people in this province,” said Uzoma Asagwara, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister. “As we lower the screening age in Manitoba, it’s critical that the system has what it needs to meet a higher demand. This will ensure that vulnerable people – especially marginalized and low-income women – are able to access the care they need. The previous government’s disregard for women’s health and cuts to health care caused limited capacity for breast cancer screening. As we rebuild this capacity, we’re taking a comprehensive and thoughtful approach so both patients and health-care staff are supported.”
Under the province’s plan, the self-referral age will be gradually reduced, starting with a reduction from 50 years old to 45 by the end of next year. CancerCare Manitoba has been working with health system partners to hire more mammography technologists and increase screening appointments for individuals aged 50 to 74.
In their release, the province also said they would add more breast cancer screening clinics as targets and staffing requirements are met. The goal is to get to 80,000 mammograms per year.
