Kralendijk – Bonaire will start with a population screening for breast cancer in September 2019. Over a period of 6 months a group of 750 women will be invited to be screened for breast cancer. This pilot is endorsed by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). There will be close collaboration between the Public Entity Bonaire, the Fundashon Mariadal hospital, the health insurance office (ZVK), the local General Practitioners and the RIVM center for population screening.

A population screening is a free medical examination for early detection of diseases. This is done through screening: periodic research over a longer period of time. For breast cancer screening, the aim is to perform an annual mammography (X-ray) on 1500 women from the age of 50. This in order to see if there is breast cancer before it is noticed by the woman herself. These women will receive a screening call every two years until they reach the age of 75. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The breast cancer population screening is intended to detect breast cancer as early as possible. The sooner breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance that treatment will be successful. Less invasive treatment is often also the result of early detection through population screening.