DOHA: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has reiterated its call for men and women aged 50 and above to undergo bowel cancer screening. It has also encouraged women aged 45 and above to take breast cancer tests.
Data from the Supreme Council of Health show that breast and bowel were among the top malignant primary sites of cancer in Qatar. The 45-plus age group shows the highest incidence of breast cancer in women and the 50-plus age group the highest incidence of bowel cancer in men and women.
PHCC is organising a national database to invite nationals and residents based on their age for screening. To facilitate the screening of both types of cancer, PHCC requests patients in the specified age group to fix an appointment by calling Cancer Screening Call Centre on 800 1112. The PHCC-led initiative is population-based screening through a proper call and recall system.
“PHCC aims to implement its mandate of promoting the health and well-being of citizens and residents through our life-saving cancer screening procedures,” said Dr Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, Managing Director, PHCC.
“In doing so, we have, together with partners from the private sector, set up a patient-friendly process to enable us to provide cancer screening procedures and the required referrals and treatments.”
For both cancer screenings, calls will be made to the target group and appointments scheduled.
For breast cancer screening patients, appointments will be given for mammography at the Breast and Bowel Screening Centre. It is advised that patients arrive 30 minutes prior to appointment at Al Wakrah Health Centre, one of the two main places for breast cancer screening.
For bowel cancer screening, an appointment will be scheduled by the ‘Screen for Life’ programme’s 8001112 Call Centre professionals. At the centre, an initial assessment will be done by medical staff and the patient will be given a FIT kit and instruction to take home.
The kit with specimen should be returned as soon as possible to the Breast and Bowel Screening Centre or any of the listed health centres. Results will be provided by a physician and, if necessary, a referral to HMC for colonoscopy examination.
The Supreme Council of Health recommends breast cancer screening every three years and bowel cancer screening every year.
The Peninsula
