Ireland's BreastCheck misses screening targets amid staff shortages and pandemic impacts.

Ireland's BreastCheck, a free breast cancer screening program for women aged 50 to 69, has missed its targets for the past two years. Last year, the program screened 137,134 women out of a target of 195,000. In 2023, it screened 166,532 out of a goal of 185,000. The Health Service Executive (HSE) attributes the shortfall to a global shortage of radiology staff and the service being paused during the pandemic. The HSE plans to add mobile units and use new technology to improve screening numbers.