The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is planning to set up a national database to invite nationals and residents and schedule them for breast and bowel screening based on age criteria.

The Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, conducted by PHCC is already underway at the Wakra Health Centre.

PHCC has called on both men and women aged 50 and above to undergo bowel cancer screening as well as women aged 45 for breast cancer screening.

PHCC has requested patients, within the specified age range, to set up an appointment by calling the Cancer Screening Call Centre 800 1112. The PHCC-led initiative is a population-based screening conducted through a proper call and recall system. Accordingly, calls will be made to the target group and appointments will be scheduled.

Data from the Supreme Council of Health indicates that breast and bowel were among the top malignant primary sites of cancer in Qatar. Women aged 45 and above showed the highest incidence of breast cancer while the age group of 50 and more showed the highest incidence of bowel cancer in both men and women.

“PHCC aims to efficiently implement its mandate of promoting the health and well-being of the citizens and residents of Qatar through our life-saving cancer screening procedures,” said Dr. Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, managing director,PHCC. “In doing so, we have, together with our partners from the private sector, set up a patient-friendly process that will enable us to effectively provide cancer screening procedures as well as the required referrals and treatment as needed.”

“In order to accommodate all patients and have them come to our cancer screening centres at a time and date that is most convenient for them, we will be proactively reaching out to them. We encourage them as well to call our 800 1112 Call Centre and set up an appointment,” she added.

For breast cancer screening, appointments will be given for mammography screening at the Breast and Bowel Screening Centre and patients are advised to arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment.

For bowel cancer screening, an appointment will be scheduled by the Call Centre. At the Centre, an initial assessment will be conducted by a trained medical staff and the patient will be given a Fit kit to take home with the proper instruction. The Fit kit with sample specimen should be returned as soon as possible to the Breast & Bowel Screening Centre or to any of the listed health centres. Results will be provided by a physician and, if necessary, a referral to HMC for colonoscopy examination.