The Ministry of Health reported that 16.1 million people in Türkiye have undergone cancer screening to date, with 36 thousand people diagnosed following examinations. On the seventh day of Public Health Week, attention was drawn to the importance of early diagnosis; those with high-risk results were referred to higher-level healthcare facilities for further examination. More than 515 thousand procedures were carried out in mobile cancer screening vehicles.
Screening and awareness services are provided through a total of 486 units, comprising 428 KETEM centers within Healthy Life Centers and 58 mobile KETEM vehicles. These centers also provide education and counseling. Free screenings for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers are carried out at KETEM, SHM, TSM and ASM units, as well as through mobile vehicles. The programs target specific age and gender groups. Minister Kemal Memişoğlu called in a social media post for free screenings not to be neglected and emphasized healthy eating, a tobacco-free lifestyle and regular physical activity.
Why it matters
The data show that the fight against cancer relies not only on an approach based on hospital admissions, but also on screening and counseling services spread across different points in the community. The implementation of the programs according to specific age and gender groups indicates that the services are planned based on eligibility criteria rather than as a general call. The referral of those with high-risk results for further examination shows that screening does not end on its own; early findings need to be transferred to the next stages of the diagnostic process. Therefore, the key question is to what extent those referred can access further examination and follow-up services without interruption, and how the screening result is connected to the treatment process. Public awareness of free service locations is important not only for participation in the program but also for the continuity of the process.
Background
Türkiye is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 42 news reports mentioning it in the past 90 days; the latest was dated September 8, 2026.