Lobby groups demand cervical cancer screening programme

A coalition of lobby groups and trade unions has come together to demand the establishment of a nationwide cervical cancer screening programme.

The groups said Ireland has one of the highest cervical cancer rates in western Europe, with 65 Irish women dying from the illness in 2000.

One hundred and ninety-three Irish women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in that year, while more than 1,000 new cases of cervical pre-cancer were also detected.

The new coalition of lobby groups and trade unions, which was put together by the Irish Cancer Society, said cervical screening could help reduce these figures by identifying the illness at an early stage, when treatment is much more successful.