Healthcare to Install State-of-the-Art Mammography Machine in Alicante Hospital to Enhance Screening System

Healthcare will install a new state-of-the-art mammography machine next week to enhance the screening system in several municipalities of the L'Alacantí region.

The San Vicente City Council has announced the regional department's intentions to launch this tool in its hospital, also serving the populations of Agost and Monforte del Cid.

This new mammography machine will "resume service" with equipment scheduled to be installed at the San Vicente del Raspeig Hospital next week, according to the Health Councillor, Mercedes Torregrosa.

While the device arrives and is prepared for operation, the San Vicente del Raspeig Hospital is making the "necessary electronic changes" to ensure the equipment is available as soon as possible to "provide coverage for women".

The Health Councillor also noted that this measure is among "the actions implemented by the PP from the Generalitat Government for the early detection of breast cancer, improving the screening system and increasing mammography tests".

The previous mammography machine at the San Vicente del Raspeig Hospital broke down twice since its installation in 2019, as reported by the municipality's Health Councillor. This situation affected "thousands of women" who missed their mammograms and resulted in "more than 14 weeks of delay".

In this regard, the popular councillor criticised the Botànic administration for "never inviting (women) to participate in the screening program," in addition to installing a mammography machine that "was not of very good quality or was not properly maintained".

On this matter, she reviewed the "devastating results" of an audit conducted in 2024 on the screening situation, which "presented weaknesses, delays, and failures," highlighting that the current Consell and the City Council "aim to achieve modernization and automation of the system to establish an effective, safe program and reverse the situation left by the Botànic".

Torregrosa reported that, in contrast, in the last two years, a plan has been implemented to redesign the care circuit, shorten deadlines, and renew the system with the best available technology, among other measures aimed at ensuring "all women have the same access, regardless of where they live".