A vulnerable woman receives cancer screenings through the "Touching Hearts, Sharing, and Giving Hope 2025" programme. — Photos courtesy of the organiser

HÀ NỘI — The National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS), Mastercard and VietUnion Online Services Corporation (Payoo), in collaboration with the Vietnam Women’s Union, have officially launched a free cancer screening programme for disadvantaged and ethnic minority women in Việt Nam.

The “Tap to Share, Give Hope” annual social welfare programme plans to provide 2,010 free cancer screenings to disadvantaged women and ethnic minorities in border communes and underserved regions.

Following several years of successful implementation in Hà Nội, HCM City, Bình Dương, Hưng Yên and Bắc Ninh provinces, the programme will expand in 2026 to four new localities: Ninh Bình in the Red River Delta, Đà Nẵng in the South-Central Coast, Đắk Lắk in the Central Highlands and Cần Thơ in the Mekong Delta.

Eligible participants are also expanded to include women who still face significant barriers in accessing healthcare services, such as low-income and seasonal workers, ethnic minority women, single mothers, women with disabilities, women from poor households, and those whose families have been affected by hardship or disasters.

According to the Ministry of Health, as of 2020, only 28.2 per cent of women aged 30 to 49 had ever been screened for cervical cancer. Breast cancer screening rates were similarly low, with just 18.8 per cent of women performing monthly self-examinations, 22.4 per cent having undergone a clinical breast exam, and even fewer receiving regular mammograms within the target age group.

Access also remained uneven between urban and rural areas: mammography rates stood at roughly 32 per cent in cities compared with 18 per cent in the countryside and were even lower in mountainous regions and among ethnic minority communities. Geographic distance, financial hardship and cultural barriers surrounding topics considered “sensitive” - such as gynaecological exams - have pushed specialised healthcare to the bottom of the priority list for many women in remote and ethnic minority communities.

Recognising these challenges and echoing the Ministry of Health’s national action plan on breast and cervical cancer prevention and control for 2026–35, “Tap to Share, Give Hope 2026” chooses to go the extra mile to reach women with limited access to healthcare services.

Each participant will receive free screening for three of the most common cancers among women, including breast, ovarian and cervical cancer. The programme also covers travel costs to local screening sites and provides packages of essential goods as a gesture of encouragement and support for the beneficiaries.

That spirit runs through the message the programme has chosen for 2026 – “The Path to Her” – expressing empathy: rather than leaving women to overcome multiple barriers on their own to reach a health screening opportunity, the programme builds a journey that brings screening activities closer to where they live. 

From September to December 2026, each eligible contactless payment made with a Mastercard or NAPAS card at Payoo’s partner merchants will generate a VNĐ2,010 donation to the screening programme.

Building on a funding model refined over several years, the programme combines support from NAPAS, Mastercard and Payoo with consumers’ everyday spending.

From September to December 2026, each eligible contactless payment made with a Mastercard or NAPAS card at Payoo’s partner merchants will generate a VNĐ2,010 donation to the screening programme.

Consumers can therefore support the initiative with a single tap when paying for everyday purchases, from buying a morning coffee to shopping for groceries or checking out at a convenience store.

In parallel, the “Healthy Miles, Healthy Life” activity will raise additional funds through events at university campuses in northern, central and southern Việt Nam, as well as a 60-day online challenge.

Each kilometre completed through the online activity will generate a VNĐ2,010 contribution, while each kilometre run or walked at an on-campus event will generate a VNĐ20,100 contribution. — VNS