During October, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is hosting a number of activities for Breast Cancer Awareness Month across key locations in Qatar aimed at further raising the profile of early screening and spreading knowledge about it.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, among the top malignant primary sites of cancer in Qatar and as per 2014 figures, breast cancer accounted for 17.42 per cent while colon cancer made up 10.55 per cent. As far as the age group of female breast cancer incidence, the ages of 45-49 years showed the highest incidence at 16.2 per cent.
PHCC, the provider of primary healthcare services across the State of Qatar and leads the national Breast and Bowel Screening Program, ‘Screen for Life’, will launch its planned activities with a series of awareness presentations that will span the full month of October. Starting off the calendar of events, will be a lecture at Al Khor Housing Community, followed by an awareness session and a survivor testimonial at Qatar National Library Awareness campaign to be held at Qatar Foundation Students Center. The team will then head to the College of the North Atlantic Qatar for a lecture. All the events taking place during the month will be joined by PHCC’s Mobile Screening Unit, which will be available for women – the majority of the events will offer on site screening.
Throughout the month, PHCC will be hosting Awareness Booths at four of Qatar’s leading shopping malls. During the first two weeks of the month, 1-17 October, a team of PHCC’s specialized liaison staff will be present at both Ezdan Mall and Gulf Mall. For the remaining two weeks, 16-31 October, PHCC will be located at Landmark Mall and Villaggio Mall.
Specialized liaison staff will be on-hand to offer guidance and advice on Breast Cancer Screening, available cancer screening centers, and also showcase PHCC’s Mobile Screening Unit.
Concluding the month, PHCC will be participating at the Qatar Cancer Society Annual Conference. During the two day event PHCC will be providing awareness, latest updates and further information.
The Breast and Bowel Screening Program falls under Qatar’s National Cancer Program.