As part of the efforts to minimise the impact of cancer cases in Qatar through early detection, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) aims to screen about 25,000 people for breast and bowel cancer yearly, a senior official told Gulf Times.

“Women above 45 and men above 50 can register for the screening through the call centre,” stated Flora R Asuncion, assistant managing director, Clinical Affairs Operations and Workforce Development, PHCC.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the opening of the first Breast & Bowel Cancer screening centre at the Wakra Health Centre yesterday.

“The opening of the Al Wakra facility signals the formal start of the Breast & Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. A centre each is coming up at Leabaib and Rawdat Al Khail, as well as a Mobile Unit van.This will further enable PHCC to effectively and efficiently deliver cancer screening procedures," she explained.

Qataris will get priority for the screening though everyone can register. The Leabaib Health Centre will launch mammography services in March this year. The mobile van service, scheduled to begin in April - May, aims to take the screening to those in the remote areas.