The Primary Health Care Corporation has urged Qatar medical professionals to continue their efforts in spreading cancer screening awareness highlighting the importance of early screening during the Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) Annual Conference.
Speaking at the two day conference held at the Doha Sheraton, Dr Shaikha Abu Shaikha, Cancer Program Manager at PHCC, noted that while there had been significant advancements across Qatar in the field of screening and awareness, there was still a lot to be achieved.
“This is just the start of the battle against cancer and raising the awareness throughout Qatar. We have great ambitions through our efforts and driving the Screen for Life program in the years to come,” she noted.
PHCC, which leads Qatar’s national Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening Program, ‘Screen for Life’, opened its 800 1112 Call Center earlier this year to add convenience for scheduling screening appointments for the general public.
Speaking to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, industry experts and government officials, from across Qatar, the wider GCC and internationally, attending the two day conference, Dr Shaikha shared the success PHCC cancer screening call center has achieved. Between February and July this year, 34,852 outgoing calls were made by the facility, with 21,651 people invited for breast and bowel screening.
Commenting on the figures, Dr Shaikha said: “To date, I am proud to say that these initiatives have been well received. However, there is still considerable work to be done in the battle to increase awareness.”
PHCC’s involvement in this year’s conference, which concludes a month of organized activities, is in line with its efforts to raise awareness and educating the State of Qatar residents about early Breast Cancer Screening as well as Bowel Screening. The Primary Health Care Corporation aims to open its third screening facility in the coming months at Rawdat Al Khail, following the successful integration of its Breast & Bowel Cancer Screening Center at Al Wakra Health Center, a screening suite at the Leabaib Health Center, and the Mobile Mammography Screening Unit.
During October Screen for Life held various awareness lectures with different organizations including Qatar Financial Center, College of North Atlantic, Qatar National Library and Al Khor Housing Community.