Thailand can afford free breast cancer screening
The government is happy to pour billions into dubious infrastructure projects, but for a fraction of that cost it could limit the leading cause of death among women
October was a good month for the fight against breast cancer, thanks to ongoing awareness campaigns around the globe. Thailand was part of the picture, with various organisations holding activities to raise awareness of the disease. Such campaigns have gained momentum, with more and more people becoming involved. However, much more needs to be done on this issue in Thailand.
One month is obviously not enough to make a great difference. After all, breast cancer is the chief cause of natural death among women in Thailand. In 2012 alone, Thailand saw 13,184 new cases, leading to 4,665 deaths. Bluntly put, there is roughly one death from breast cancer every two hours. The fatality rate is alarming, particularly when these deaths could be prevented through early detection and treatment.
Such loss of life should warrant more attention from the government. If Pheu Thai is serious about healthcare, the fight against breast cancer could be a success story. The government should immediately consider a budget subsidy to cover screening checks. The awareness campaign has been successful so far, giving more people a better understanding of the disease. However, a majority of women still fail to undergo screenings because of the relatively high cost. A mammogram costs at least Bt2,000 at a public hospital and up to Bt4,000 at a private hospital. Although discounts and free tests are offered during October each year, this is insufficient to reduce the prevalence of the disease.
Investment in this healthcare issue is obviously needed. The government only has to look to Malaysia, whose government provides free mammogram tests for all women. If Malaysia can do so, why can’t Thailand? We compete with Malaysia in other aspects of Southeast Asian leadership, so why can’t our government provide better welfare for women and help eradicate this preventable and curable disease?
The government could be a pioneer in providing free-to-all screenings for breast cancer. It would not require a massive outlay compared to the budgets for some of its ambitious projects. The government should at least introduce a subsidy for those covered by social security. The next step would be to provide free screenings for women age 40 and up.
Investing in women’s welfare makes sense for any government with vision, but especially one led by a woman. Women nowadays are breadwinners, and compared to the world average of 24 per cent, Thai women account for 38 per cent of senior management positions in companies. Within the family, women shoulder a great responsibility in raising children and taking care of elderly parents and relatives. Their contribution to the country is much more valuable than any economic statistic could fairly represent. There is thus no excuse for untimely deaths caused by a disease that can be detected and cured in its early stages.
The Thaksin Shinawatra government earned praise for initiating Bt30 universal healthcare, though its real benefits remain open to question. And the programme does not cover cancer prevention in women.
Public healthcare can be a political tool. In some cases there is a thin line between the political and real benefits. But helping prevent breast cancer, which is the leading cause of death among Thai women, will invariably bring real benefit to society.
