BY JOY OFASIA
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is urging women across Solomon Islands to come forward for breast cancer screening. Acting Permanent Secretary of Health, Dr Gregory Jilini, said breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Solomon Islands, with about 128 women diagnosed and 47 deaths recorded each year.
Speaking during the launch of a breast cancer awareness campaign at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), Dr Jilini said early detection was critical because breast cancer is more treatable when identified at an early stage. He said the number of new breast cancer patients requiring chemotherapy at NRH increased from 39 in 2019 to 99 in 2022, highlighting the growing need for awareness and early screening. Despite the availability of mammography equipment and trained radiographers, screening participation remains low.
Dr Jilini revealed that NRH conducted only 190 mammograms between January and June 2026, averaging about 32 screenings a month in a country with a population of more than 700,000. He said many women had never undergone mammogram screening, while fear, stigma, cost and the reluctance to attend appointments alone were among the barriers preventing women from accessing the service. “When screening is routine, as in Australia, more than nine in 10 women with breast cancer survive five years.
Early detection is the difference,” he said. Dr Jilini said the campaign aims to encourage more women to get screened, raise awareness and promote community support for early detection. He called on families, churches and employers to encourage women to make time for screening, adding that women could also support one another by attending appointments together. “Don’t wait for symptoms, bring a sister, bring a friend and every woman in a pink shirt becomes an advocate,” he said.
The campaign is locally led, with mammograms conducted during the initiative being counted and results scheduled to be shared on World Radiology Day on November 8. Dr Jilini said the campaign could be repeated every October if successful, with the approach potentially extended to other health concerns, including cervical cancer, diabetes and hypertension.
He also urged women who have breast lumps or other concerns not to wait for the campaign but to seek medical attention immediately. “We have the machine, the skills and a team ready to welcome you. What we need now is you. Get screened and bring a sister,” he said.
