At the end of May, preventive breast cancer screenings in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo province) came to an abrupt halt. The company responsible for conducting mammograms unexpectedly closed down without notifying either local authorities or patients. In the first five months of the year, more than four thousand women underwent screening, but about three thousand more were left waiting for their turn.
The situation caused concern among local women. Many began contacting the Cancer Association to find out why they were not being scheduled for screening. It soon became clear: the company handling the screenings had gone bankrupt and ceased operations without explanation. The regional government was forced to urgently seek a new contractor to ensure women would not go without this important diagnostic service.
After several months of uncertainty, the authorities of Castilla-La Mancha announced the signing of a contract with the medical company Quirón. The new organization is expected to complete all outstanding screenings by the end of December. The first 500 patients have already started receiving calls, and in the coming weeks all those who missed their mammogram in spring and summer will be invited. The authorities assure that by the end of the year, all three thousand women will have the opportunity to undergo screening.
Meanwhile, a political conflict has erupted. The mayor of Talavera de la Reina and representatives of opposition parties accused the regional government of negligence and demanded explanations for months of inaction. Some politicians claimed that the delay in screenings may have prevented women from receiving timely treatment. The cancer association also voiced concerns and promised to monitor the implementation of the screening program.
Mammograms are provided under a public program for women aged 45 to 70. Across the region, more than one hundred thousand people undergo screenings each year. Despite the crisis, authorities assure that everyone who completed the procedure before the company’s closure has received their results. A new tender for future screenings has been announced to prevent such situations from recurring.
