‘Screen for Life’, a national programme that promotes awareness and early detection of cancer in Qatar has started to reach private and public organisations as part of steps taken towards spreading awareness in the community.
Many lectures and workshops were held on raising awareness on breast and bowel cancer among employees at private and public organisations, such as banks, energy companies and municipalities.
The programme’s team also spread awareness through messaging campaigns, community outreach and educational lectures.
“We are moving at a very fast pace in a short time frame, making remarkable achievements,” Dr Shaikha Abu Shaikha (pictured), Manager, Cancer Program Division, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) told The Peninsula.
“I could comfortably say that the outcome has been positive, the programme is picking up awareness and recognition across the community, and we have been approached by different organisations, from public and private sectors, to conduct awareness lectures for employees to promote early detection and encourage eligible people to undergo screening,” she added.
Dr Shaikha said that since its launch in January 2016 three screening centres have been innaugrated. These are located at Leabaib, Al Wakra and Rawdat Al Khail health centres, supported by the mobile screening unit that is visiting health centres and participating in events, offering ground mammogram screening for ladies.
Facilitating enquiries and appointments, ‘Screen For Life’ Call Center is designed to not only receive calls, but also to proactively reach out to individuals to make screening. Since beginning operations in February 2016, until October 2016, the centre has made 48,142 outgoing calls, with 29,488 people having been invited for screening. “These numbers continue to grow,” said Dr Shaikha.
Also a Mobile Screening Unit is present to offer advise and screening for eligible walk-in members of the public.
‘Screen for Life’ encourage women aged between 45-69 years to undertake breast cancer screening every three years, and men and women aged between 50-74, to get screened for bowel cancer annually.
