Only 41 per cent of the 16,000 people invited for colon screening accepted the invitation, Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia revealed in Parliament.

He said the colon screening programme is currently inviting people aged between 60 and 64 for screening.

More than 200 people had a positive initial screening test and were referred for colonoscopy. To date, 15 people had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

Answering a parliamentary question by Claudio Grech (PN), Dr Farrugia said the prevention programme for cancer of the uterus, through inoculation against the Human Papillona Virus (HPV) was progressing well.

Up to November, 3,222 girls born between 2000 and 2001 had been invited to the course of three inoculations. Of these, 2,538 had taken the first jab, 2,232 the second and 966 had received the third and final inoculation.

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