Lorraine Williamson
In southern Spain, thousands of women are living with the consequences of a healthcare failure that has left them waiting years for answers. Andalucia’s regional government has now admitted that delays in breast cancer screening have directly affected at least 2,000 women. For some, the wait stretched beyond two years—long enough for tumours to go undetected.
Early diagnosis is critical in breast cancer. Detecting tumours at an initial stage gives patients the best chance of survival, yet doctors in Andalucia warn that bureaucratic delays have left women in limbo at precisely the moment when rapid action matters most. In 2025 alone, 700 new cases have already been confirmed in the region. Each year, around 200,000 women between the ages of 49 and 71 are invited for screening. However, the system designed to protect them has buckled.
The human toll behind the numbers
Statistics tell only part of the story. A 57-year-old woman from Seville discovered the stark reality of the backlog. Following a routine mammogram in March 2023, she was told everything appeared normal. More than a year later, she received a call asking her to undergo further tests. Refusing to wait months longer, she sought help elsewhere. At another hospital, cancer was detected, and she underwent a mastectomy. “If this had been an aggressive tumour, I wouldn’t be here today,” she said.
Her case is echoed by dozens of testimonies gathered by Mujeres con Cáncer de Mama, a patient association that has documented repeated stories of women waiting years for results or follow-ups.
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Government forced into action
Amid growing anger, Andalucian Health Minister Rocío Hernández issued an apology and unveiled a package of emergency measures. A priority pathway has been created for the 2,000 women already identified, with additional teams reviewing mammograms from the past three years. Patients will also receive a second risk assessment to clarify urgency, clearer information on their rights, and access to a dedicated complaints service.
Officials say affected women are now being contacted directly to arrange fast-tracked appointments. But campaigners argue the measures are late in coming and cannot undo the risks already created.
Calls for accountability
The scandal has triggered political and legal pressure. The Patients’ Association has asked prosecutors to determine whether negligence occurred within the regional health system. Opposition parties PSOE and Por Andalucía are demanding full transparency and accountability from the ruling Partido Popular in Seville.
At a national level, Health Minister Mónica García has stepped in, requesting data on screening programmes to assess whether similar failures exist elsewhere in Spain.
Trust in the system at stake
Beyond the immediate backlog, the crisis has shaken confidence in Andalucia’s public health service. Campaigners warn that delays in cancer diagnosis are not just administrative failings but could cost lives, turning treatable conditions into terminal illness.
The government’s reforms may provide some reassurance, but for many women, the damage has already been done. The debate now goes far beyond Andalucia: can Spain’s overstretched health system guarantee timely cancer screening, or will more lives be put at risk by waiting lists?
Source: El País