55,000 sign petition for cervical screening programme
01/02/2006 - 10:09:59The Irish Cancer Society has collected 55,000 names in an online petition calling for the introduction of a national screening programme for cervical cancer.
The petition, which is due to be presented to Health Minister Mary Harney today, calls for the establishment of free screening for all Irish women aged between 25 and 60.
The move was promised by the Government 10 years ago, but so far, it has only been rolled out on a pilot basis in the mid-west.
Ireland has one of the highest mortality rates from cervical cancer in Europe, where screening has led to a major reduction in deaths in many other countries.
