Malta’s breast screening programme 'a model for other EU countries'
From left Mr. Joe Psaila (Programme advisor), Prof Peter Dean (IARC), Minister Joe Cassar, Dr. Nadine Delicata (Programme driector), Dr. Laurence von Karsa (IARC)
Health minister Joe Cassar spoke in a press conference this morning about Malta’s future in networking and collaboration with regards to the EU’s Breast Screening Programme.
Cassar was accompanied by foreign experts in cancer and oncology from the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Dr. Laurence von Karsa and Professor Peter Dean. Both experts are responsible for the coordination of the European Cancer network, supported by the EU public health programme.
Dr. Karsa and Prof Dean are in Malta to learn about the Malta Breast Screening Programme (MBSP), which is the newest of its kind in the EU, set up only 10 months ago.
Malta’s screening programme is based on the EU Guidelines for quality assurance for breast and cervical cancer screening, under the responsibility of the European Cancer Network.
The European Cancer Network is the agency responsible for developing and updating the EU Guidelines for Quality Assurance for Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening, and will shortly publish new Guidelines for Quality Assurance for Colorectal Cancer Screening and Diagnosis.
The minister said the visiting experts see Malta’s programme as a “model for other countries wishing to implement organised population-based screening programmes, starting with breast cancer screening."
Cassar added the experts and Maltese team have “found ways to intensify Malta’s collaboration in establishing a network of centres of reference and competence to ensure high quality standards in cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.”
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