By Olivia Condous
The City of Melton will be one of five local council areas to receive a new permanent breast screening service, as part of a state government initiative to give Victorian residents better access to life-saving cancer screening and specialist care.
The new service will be funded by a share of $20 million as part of the latest state budget, with the aim to provide breast screening services to an additional 36,000 Victorians every year by 2026.
The five new services are expected to be all running by January 2025.
Neighbouring Wyndham council will also have converted the temporary Hoppers Lane breast screening site into a permanent service with greater capacity.
The new services are part of the Victorian Canacer Plan 2020-2024, which has the target of reducing the harm caused by all cancers and saving 10,000 lives by 2025.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said more Victorians were surviving breast cancer due to better treatments and earlier detection.
“We’re making it even easier to get screened with eight additional breast screening services across the state.”
Victorian women minister Gabrielle Williams said it was important for residents to not wait to have a breast screening.
“Book your free breast screen today, it is quick, easy and more accessible than ever.”
