Free cancer screening provided for 2,000 disadvantaged women

The cancer screening for women took place from October 19 to 26 at four hospitals, including Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, Gia Dinh People’s Hospital, Hanoi Oncology Hospital and 108 Central Military Hospital.

Of the total 2,010 cancer screenings of the programme, 600 were allocated to the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society, 400 to the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the Management Board of Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks in Ho Chi Minh City, and 1,000 to the Hanoi Red Cross Society.

In addition to screening for breast and cervical cancer, participants also receive neck and abdominal ultrasounds to detect early thyroid and ovarian cancer.

Nguyen Hoang An, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society, said: "The Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society, the Hanoi Red Cross Society and the organising board hope to bring cancer screening opportunities to disadvantaged women, support the cost of intensive screening for cases at high risk of the disease, and play a role as a bridge and effective coordinator in mobilising women to have regular health check-ups".

Women who benefit from the programme are workers aged 35-60, from poor or near-poor households, single mothers with children under 16 years old, people with disabilities or the main labour force in the family, suspected of having the disease but not having the conditions to be examined.