DOHA: The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) launched the National Cancer Programme (NCP) coinciding with World Cancer Day yesterday.
Based on the five-year National Cancer Strategy launched in 2011, the programme will launch regular awareness campaigns to educate society about the disease. The Programme Team will continue to oversee the implementation of the strategy.
One of the awareness campaigns launched under the programme is the “Cancer Champions’ Outreach Programme” that brings together key figures in the Qatari Society to bring the message of cancer prevention and early detection to the community.
“The purpose of enlisting the help of these champions is to raise awareness, encourage early cancer detection and reassure families and friends that there is hope and life after cancer for our cancer patients,” said Dr Abdullah Al Ansari, Chairman of Surgery and Deputy Chief of Medical, Academic and Research for Surgical Services at HMC, at a press conference yesterday.
The Cancer Champions would engage in year-long activities creating a movement to go beyond the campaign.
“Additionally, we have plans to develop a Religious Outreach Programme in hope of collaborating with major religious figures in Qatar to disseminate our messages further, encouraging society to take care of God’s gift of a healthy body and to protect it from any harm by avoiding health risk factors and seeking medical help promptly when needed,” added Dr Al Ansari.
Stressing the importance of early detection, the programme works with its partners to ensure that patients are provided with quick and efficient referrals on a 48-hour referral pathway.
“Our set goal for 2016 is to ensure that every suspected cancer patient is seen in a secondary care setting by a specialist within a 48 hour time-frame,” he said.
A dedicated website for sharing information on cancer related subjects was also launched.
“This is work in progress. On the website we will develop new sections on the various types of cancer.
“We also will give updates on the events and activities of the National Cancer Programme,” explained Prof Alexander Knuth, Medical Director of the National Center for Cancer Care and Research and Chairman of Cancer Services, HMC.
Prof Knuth underscored the importance of education as a pillar of the strategy promoting awareness and dispelling myths of cancer under the “Myth Refutation” campaign.
“We wish to create an ongoing dialogue, taking the right measures to give people the right tools to take control of their health. This will contribute to cancer prevention, early detection of disease and better treatment outcomes.”
Dr Salahddin Gehani, general surgery and senior breast cancer consultant at Hamad General Hospital, said “The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that breast cancer is the most common cancer in Qatar and both its incidence rate and mortality rate are significantly higher than any other type of cancer in Qatar for women.”
“With an estimate that every one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, the National Cancer Programme felt it imperative that we respond by launching the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.”
This campaign will be done through spreading the facts about breast cancer and how to be breast aware to increase awareness about signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Almost three years after its implementation, the National Cancer Strategy has achieved impressive progress, said Dr Jamal Rashid Al Khanji, Director Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Department at SCH.
“Qatar has become the first GCC member state of WHO/International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) and the 23rd state internationally. Qatar cancer data has been accepted for the first time into CI5 (WHO Cancer in 5 Continents),” he said.
Rapid triage of suspected cancer patients, cancer patients access to specialist nursing, provision of best possible treatment to patients based on Cancer Peer Review and National Cancer Standards and Guidelines are among the other improvements after the launch of the strategy.
The Peninsula
