Hindi-speaking Australians who may be at higher risk of lung cancer are being encouraged to speak with their doctor about free screening, even if they have no symptoms.
The National Lung Cancer Screening Program began on 1 July 2025 and provides eligible Australians with a free low-dose CT scan every two years. The programme is designed to detect lung cancer before symptoms appear, when treatment can have better outcomes.
Taran Oberai, Multicultural Community Engagement Officer at Enliven, is helping Hindi-speaking communities understand how the programme works as part of the national It’s Good to Know campaign.
“Even if you feel well, screening can give you peace of mind. Please don’t wait until you feel sick. Lung cancer can be there without any symptoms,” Oberai said.
Under the programme, people aged 50 to 70 may be eligible if they currently smoke or have quit within the past 10 years, have no symptoms suggesting lung cancer and have a history of smoking at least 30 pack-years. A pack-year is based on the amount a person has smoked over time, and a doctor or other healthcare provider can help determine whether someone meets the criteria.
Oberai said early screening could help identify lung cancer sooner and encouraged people who think they may qualify to discuss their options with their doctor.
“It’s a simple step you can take now to look after your health and have more healthy years with your family,” he said.
Enliven is one of 13 community organisations involved in community-led engagement through a partnership with the Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative.
AMHC Executive Director Priyanka Rai said working with trusted community organisations could make health information easier to understand and access for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“Language and cultural background should never be barriers to accessing potentially life-saving health care,” Rai said.
She said community organisations could help explain screening in ways that were relevant and accessible, while encouraging eligible people to discuss screening with their healthcare provider.
Cancer Council Victoria CEO Todd Harper AM also urged people who may be eligible to consider screening.
“Around 15,000 Australians are diagnosed with lung cancer each year,” Harper said, according to the campaign material.
The Australian Government says the screening programme is targeted at people at higher risk of lung cancer and uses low-dose CT scans to look for signs of the disease before symptoms develop. Current programme guidelines confirm that eligibility is based on age, smoking history and the absence of symptoms.
The programme had reached almost 100,000 participants in its first year, with more than 230 primary lung cancers detected, according to the Australian Government in June 2026.
For Hindi-speaking Australians who think they may be eligible, the next step is to speak with a GP or nurse practitioner about whether screening is appropriate.
More information is available through the National Lung Cancer Screening Program and its Hindi-language resources.
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