Several women residing in the Halifax vicinity express dismay over the 15-month wait period for routine mammograms, fearing that the prolonged delays may result in late-stage cancer diagnoses.
Last week, Cynthia McCutcheon attempted to schedule an appointment for September, only to be surprised when the booking agent mentioned July, which turned out to be set for 2027.
McCutcheon described the situation as “unacceptable,” highlighting a perceived lack of priority for women’s health by the government.
As of the previous week, the earliest available appointments in the area were in August 2027 at the Cobequid Community Health Centre, September 2027 in Dartmouth, and October 2027 at the Halifax Shopping Centre.
Comparatively, wait times for mammograms in Prince Edward Island are nearly half as long, with some clinics in Toronto offering appointments within two weeks.
The current booking dates starkly contrast with the Nova Scotia government’s stated wait times.
At the Halifax clinic, the median wait for a screening appointment is 73 days, with up to 287 days for individuals in the 90th percentile.
McCutcheon expressed concern that delayed screenings could lead to diagnosing cancer at advanced stages.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia has the highest breast cancer death rates in the country, projecting that 190 women in the province may succumb to the disease in 2026.
The IWK Health Centre, responsible for the provincial breast screening program, declined an interview request and issued a statement attributing the extended wait times primarily to a shortage of medical radiation technologists.
The IWK suggested that patients consider visiting the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater or utilizing mobile clinics for more immediate access to appointments.
Cheryl Coolen, a resident of Halifax, anticipates the need to travel for her upcoming checkup despite not driving. Coolen, who has a history of cystic breasts, found a lump last year and now requires biannual mammograms.
Expressing frustration over the delays, Coolen questioned how many individuals in the province might remain undiagnosed due to appointment unavailability.
Lacking a cancellation list, Coolen plans to inquire regularly for an earlier appointment than her scheduled one in April 2027.
Meanwhile, McCutcheon, considering the lengthy wait worrisome, contemplates seeking a screening in Ontario to ensure timely monitoring, influenced by her grandmother’s breast cancer fatality.
Both women advocate for enhanced measures to address the screening appointment backlog in Nova Scotia.
Heather Mulligan, senior manager of advocacy for Atlantic Canada, explains why wait times in Nova Scotia are almost three times longer than in other places in Canada and what should be done to address staff shortages.
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