PHCC Launches National Awareness Campaign on Bowel Cancer

Director of the screening programs at the Primary Health Care Corporation, Dr. Shaikha Abu Shaikha

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), through the Screen for Life Program, has launched a national awareness campaign on the bowel cancer which is the one of the most common cancers among women and men in Qatar.

"This year, the campaign launched under the title "Be Aware, Be Safe, Get Screened" is a message to all women and men in Qatar, who are above the age of 50 years to be aware and take the responsibility and lead to do the test and encourage others to do it as part of their annual plan to maintain a good health; to get screened in order to stay safe. This emphasizes the importance of screening especially if it was detected at early stage, bowel cancer is treatable and the chances of getting cured reach up to 90%. The key to the prevention of bowel cancer is through healthy lifestyle and periodic screening which is done through Screen For life program" said Director of the screening programs at the Primary Health Care Corporation, Dr. Shaikha Abu Shaikha.

She highlighted the importance of early detection of bowel cancer and to promote getting screened with a free bowel test which is known as the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT test) offered to all women and men in Qatar aged between 50-74 years, showing no symptoms related to bowel cancer and did not have bowel cancer screening done in the last two years or any colonoscopy within the last 10 years to do the bowel cancer screening.

Dr. Shaikha Abu Shaikha added that throughout the month of March, the Screen for Life team will be actively doing different activities, starting from lectures and workshops, as well as digital media campaign which includes the launch of a social media competition on PHCCs Instagram account.

The enrollment of the program can be through either receiving a call from the cancer screening call center to schedule an appointment, by physicians electronic referral to the cancer screening program or by the participants calling the cancer screening call center number 8001112 to schedule the appointment.

The Breast and Bowel cancer screening suites are available in four different health centers across Qatar: Al Wakrah, Rawdat Al Khail, Muaither, Laibeib and Al Sadd. All these clinics are fully equipped with the highest technology and well-trained professional teams, she said.

Source: QNA