PHCC launches awareness campaign for bowel cancer screening

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has launched an awareness campaign on the screening of bowel cancer, one of the most common cancers among women and men in Qatar.The Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, also known as ‘Screen for Life,’ is a lifesaving, population-based programme to promote awareness and early detection of cancer.The programme was launched in accordance with the National Health Strategy 2011-2016.The month-long annual campaign is aimed at educating the public about the importance of early detection of bowel cancer and to promote getting screened with a free bowel test.The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT test) is offered to all women and men in Qatar aged between 50 and 74 who show no symptoms related to bowel cancer and who have not had screening in the last two years or any colonoscopy within the last 10 years.This year, the campaign under the title 'Preventable, Treatable, Curable' is a reminder to all the women and men in Qatar about the importance of screening.Throughout 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 PHCC’s Instagram account. In addition to this, 'Screen for Life', through PHCC, will be collaborating with its programme ambassadors and social media influencers to promote the bowel cancer awareness and importance of screening."Our slogan 'preventable, treatable, curable' is to remind all women and men, 50 years and above, to do their routine screening even if they don’t have any symptoms. Let us not forget, bowel cancer is among the cancer with highest prevalence in Qatar. However, when detected at early stages, recovery rate can reach to 90% and above” said Dr Shaikha Abu Shaikha, director of the screening programmes at PHCC.People can enroll for the programme either by receiving a call from the cancer screening call centre or by a physician’s electronic referral to the cancer screening programme or by contacting the cancer screening call centre number 8001112 to schedule an appointment.The Breast and Bowel cancer screening suites are available in four different health centres across Qatar: Al Wakrah, Rawdat Al Khail, Muaither and Laibeib.