FOLLOWING a weekend appeal by the Jamaica Cancer Society seeking to raise $50 million for the purchase of a new mammogram machine before its current instrument goes down, the National Health Fund (NHF) and the Ministry of Health have come to the rescue.

Speaking at Wednesday’s roll-out of NHF’s mammogram benefit which will make screening available to women at minimal sums across several locations, Shane Dalling, board chair, said the purchase of a mobile machine for the cancer society that can be used to do testing “right across” is being mulled.

“In the scheme of things $50 million is a very small amount of money when we look at what we spend in terms of cancer treatment. I had the discussion with the CEO and I said, ‘This is something we may have to look at in terms of seeking to assist the Jamaica Cancer Society to acquire a machine to help the general public,’ ” Dalling said, adding, “It is Government at your service through the NHF.”

That indication was cemented by Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton who, in delivering the keynote address during the benefit launch at S Hotel in St Andrew said, “Send the proposal come. We are going to make sure it happens — because you deserve it.

“I am going to work with them to ensure that they secure another machine, given the appeal that was made,” the minister pledged.

Founded in 1955, the Jamaica Cancer Society has been at the forefront of promoting early detection and awareness, providing thousands of screenings annually through its Kingston headquarters and mobile units. However, the organisation’s ability to maintain those services now depends heavily on replacing its ageing mammography machine before it fails.

Tufton in the meantime bemoaned the fact that “breast cancer…claims too many lives”.

“I am told that well over 1,300 new cases are diagnosed each year and we have approximately 650 deaths each year. One in 21 women in Jamaica are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer and so there is some amount of predictability in terms of what is likely to happen. The challenge is: How do we cauterise that? How do we prevent it from claiming the lives of those who are unfortunate to have breast cancer? And the answer really lies in early detection,” he said.

In the meantime, he noted that the subsidy which the NHF is providing at $3,000 per year for women between the ages of 40 and 74 is one that could be as low as 50 per cent or higher, depending on where it is accessed.

He said the engagement of some 14 or so service provider locations across the country to date through which individuals can access the screening benefit is another plus, and expressed hope that other providers will also come on board.

Meanwhile, in addressing concerns about the limited number of mammograms offered in the public health system, Tufton maintained that, “sometimes the challenge is not just about the resources or lack thereof” but, “to the health system’s capacity to manage and maintain the machines that we have”.

“It’s a real struggle because there is the concern sometimes, when we have these pieces of equipment, that the management to ensure that they give the optimal service becomes compromised because of a number of reasons — how they are serviced, who is responsible… sometimes in Jamaica, sometimes out, [and] the length of downtime to provide service,” he said.

“We are going to have to adjust how we approach maintaining the equipment we invest in, otherwise the people of Jamaica are not going to get the full benefit of those services… and a review is taking place around that.”