Free screening mammography is offered in Greece to women aged 50-69, and applications and SMS are being sent to beneficiaries today.
Starting Friday, June 10th, as part of the Prime Minister’s “Φώφη Γεννηματά” program, text messages will be sent to potential recipients of free preventive mammograms. Such a program is being implemented for the first time in Greece and aims to examine about 1.3 million women in the age group from 50 to 69 years.
Kyriakos Pyrrakakis, Minister of Digital Governance, informs that SMS distribution to beneficiaries will start on Friday and will continue over the next few weeks. To enroll in the survey, female beneficiaries must have AMCA and activate the immaterial prescription (άυλη συνταγογράφηση). The Minister states:
“For the first time, the state does not wait for a citizen to go to the doctor, but reminds him of the need to take care of himself.”
The free program “Φώφη Γεννηματά” includes:
- Digital mammography examination.
- A visit to the doctor for women who have the results of the examination.
- Ultrasound examination to further refine the results of the study.
1450 points will be opened for screening mammography across the country. The program will build on Operation Freedom’s experience and developments in Covid-19 vaccination and incorporate digital technology to make screening easy, fast and free.
Female beneficiaries between the ages of 50 and 69 who activate the prescription will receive a digital mammogram referral as a text message to their mobile phone or email. They can go to any partner center in their area (public or private) and sign up for a free examination. Those who have not activated the referral can ask for its issuance when visiting any doctor, and then contact the center in their area and sign up, says cnn.gr.
Presenting a new program on Thursday at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can be successfully treated at an early stage. Women who participate in national breast cancer screening programs are much less likely to undergo mastectomy and chemotherapy due to early diagnosis and choice of the most effective treatment.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Europe. However, the 5-year survival rate for women with early diagnosis averages 96% in the European Union.
In Greece, a population screening program has not yet been implemented. In our country, women aged 50-69 have mammograms less frequently than women aged 65-79. Therefore, the Prime Minister notes, we have more deaths due to late diagnosis, and this is why we pay special attention to this age group.
Earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the state would honor the memory of Fofi Gennimat special program on Cancer Prevention, which will bear her name.
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