Canty seeks grant for cancer scheme

Press, 13 July 1989, Page 3

Canty seeks grant for cancer scheme

By

DEBORH McPHERSON

Canterbury intends to make a strong case for running one of two pilot breast-cancer screening programmes.

The Minister of Health, Ms Clark, announced in March that the

schemes would be set up in response to recommendations from a working party on screening for breast cancer, chaired by Professor David Skeggs, of the University of Otago.

The Canterbury Area Health Board’s community affairs and public relations committee decided yesterday to apply for a service development grant to run a scheme. The Medical Research Council had been given approval to call for proposals for pilot studies to test whether X-ray mammographic screening could be established in New Zealand. But the board’s acting associate general manager for patient care, Dr Ross Fairgray, said only the evaluation part of the programme would be Government-funded. Set-

ting up of a practical service would not. The board could not afford to fund a pilot scheme on its own. It would cost $400,000 to set up and another $250,000 a year for equipment maintenance and staff salaries. The pilot programme would be limited to two years and would target those women considered most at risk in the 40-to-55 age group. Ms Clark has said breast cancer is the most malignant cause of death in New Zealand. Each year about 1100 women are diagnosed as having breast cancer and about 500 die from it. Professor Don Beaven said the board should still make submissions for funding to the Government, because breast cancer was an important issue for women.

He predicted Ms Clark would come under increasing pressure to fully fund the pilot programmes in line with the working party’s recommendations, so the board should be ready, he said. Dr Fairgray said Southern Cross Radiology had offered to co-operate with the board in setting up a subsidised screening programme, but stringent, health cuts already being imposed by the Government meant the board was unlikely to be able to afford it. “It’s a nice idea, but we do not have the economic resources,” he said. Mrs Caroline Cartwright said the board should at least help publicise Southern Cross’s services so women were aware such a facility existed. "It’s not free, but it’s our responsibility as an area health board to promote health,” she said.