State health plan ‘failing to protect women’

THE Government has been accused of ignoring women’s health as a report shows they still have the second highest level of cancer and heart disease in the EU.

The Women’s Health Council, which carried out the study, said the National Health Strategy set up five years ago has failed in key areas.

The report found that breast and cervical screening programmes are still not in place nationally, more than two years after the 1999 target date laid down by the Department of Health. It also found that breast screening is available in just four health board areas and cervical screening services are also limited.