Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) has concluded the 'You are Precious' campaign to raise awareness about cervical and ovarian cancer in partnership with leading biopharmaceutical company MSD.
Cervical cancer is the fifth, and ovarian cancer the sixth most newly diagnosed cancer among females in Qatar, according to Qatar National Cancer Registry at the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, in 2019.
The campaign, launched in January targeted all women in Qatar through many direct and virtual awareness lectures and workshops. It also included several awareness competitions on prevention methods, warning signs and symptoms, risk factors that increase the possibility of contracting it and encouraging early detection of the disease by distributing 100 vouchers for women to do Pap Smear tests free of cost in Al Ahli Hospital.
Many specialists participated in the campaign through a panel discussion on "Facts and rumours about cervical and ovarian cancer," especially facts about the HPV vaccine. They include Dr Afaf al-Ansari, senior consultant in gynaecologic cancer treatment and surgery, Women's Wellness and Research Centre, Dr Suha Shawqi al-Bayat - head of Vaccinations Department, Ministry of Public Health, Dr Noha Jibril, family medicine consultant, Primary Health Care Corporation, Fathia Salama, recovering from pre-cancerous cervical cancer and Iman al-Bardini, a beauty expert.
Mona Ashkanani, director general, QCS, said: "The 'You are precious' campaign comes as a continuation of the role played by QCS since its establishment in 1997 in raising community awareness of cancer, ways of preventing it and early detection of it, especially cervical and ovarian cancer by conducting a Pap Smear, as well as the obligation to take the HPV vaccination following the health requirements.”
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