Sask. NDP says too many women have to travel out-of-province for breast cancer screening

Chris Edwards · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 12, 2025 3:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

As a caller crab centre is scheduled to unfastened successful Regina this month, the Saskatchewan NDP says excessively many breast crab patients are still forced to question out-of-province care.

On Friday, NDP MLA Brittney Senger said the Saskatchewan Party authorities has failed to supply basal bosom crab attraction successful the province.

She cited numbers released earlier this period from the province's lasting committee connected quality services, which indicated that 472 Saskatchewan women person travelled to Calgary to person bosom crab diagnostics.

In precocious 2023, the authorities announced it would nonstop immoderate radical waiting for diagnostic investigating for bosom crab to the Alberta clinic, arsenic Saskatchewan continued to woody with aesculapian imaging backlogs.

"These aren't regular appointments. When you're referred for bosom crab diagnostics, you're facing the terrifying anticipation of a crab diagnosis," Senger said astatine a quality league connected Friday.

"Many of these women are sick. All of them are scared. They merit attraction adjacent to home, erstwhile and wherever they request it."

The women each utilized a backstage session successful Calgary tally by the Clearpoint Health Network, receiving chiefly mammograms and biopsies.  

During the committee meeting, Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill stated that the level complaint for those procedures, billed to the Saskatchewan government, was $2,000 each.

According to Senger, the process would outgo nary much than $1,200 if performed in Saskatchewan.

"Frankly, we should ne'er beryllium successful this position," the Opposition MLA said. "We request to marque definite that we're investing successful Saskatchewan wellness attraction and that Saskatchewan payer dollars are staying here."

CBC requested remark from the Saskatchewan Party government, but did not get a effect anterior to publication.

Regina Breast Health Centre opening this month

The state has antecedently said the new Regina Breast Health Centre, acceptable to person an opening ceremonial connected April 14 and statesman treating patients on April 23, volition dainty 1,600 patients each year.

It volition relation arsenic a cardinal assets for women who are being evaluated for, oregon person been diagnosed with, bosom cancer, providing diagnostic imaging, consultation with specialists and surgeons, diligent acquisition and enactment and navigation, the state has said.

The state has besides antecedently said it would reimburse question costs up to $1,500 for each diligent and a enactment idiosyncratic going to the Calgary clinic, in summation to covering the aesculapian costs.

As of Jan. 1, the Saskatchewan authorities lowered the eligibility for bosom crab screening to women arsenic young arsenic 47. The erstwhile cutoff was 50.

That property minimum volition beryllium lowered again arsenic of June 1 to 45, and volition beryllium lowered to 40 by mid-2026, according to the government.