Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) has concluded ‘You are Precious’ campaign to raise awareness about cervical cancer, the sixth most diagnosed cancer among females in Qatar according to Qatar National Cancer Registry (QNCR) 2016 at the Ministry of Public Health.
The campaign included many virtual workshops and competitions to raise awareness about signs, symptoms and risk factors about the disease and encouraged early detection by distributing 100 vouchers to do Pap Smear test free in Al Ahli Hospital.
Specialists including Dr Aisha al-Thani from Aisha Salman al-Thani Centre; Dr Sahar al-Ani, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Middle East Centre; Nour al-Bisani from Diet Delight Centre; Dr Nagham al-Kreedi at Al-Dafna Medical Centre, as well as media figure Amal Abdul-Malik participated in the campaign.
Heba Nassar, health educator at QCS, said, “Cervical cancer can affect any woman and especially between the age of 20 – 50. Cervical cancer often does not show symptoms until it is at an advanced stage. So it is important to start early detection tests regularly even when one is healthy.
According to Nassar, the risk factors for cervical cancer include human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, smoking, recurrent cervical infections, family history, having given birth to three or more children, using birth control pills for a long time and lack of screening. She explained that the early signs and symptoms are abnormal vaginal bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, pelvic pain among others and it can be detected by Pap test or HPV test and prevent through HPV vaccine for those aged 15 years and above.
The Pap test is a simple one and the best time to do the test is 10-14 days from the first day of menstruation. The first Pap test should be done after 3 years of marriage if the age is 21 years or above. After the first Pap test, women should go for the test every three years until the age of 65. After 65, the test can be stopped if the last three Pap tests are normal. Pap tests can be done in most of the health centres of Primary Health Care Corporation.
Specialists including Dr Aisha al-Thani from Aisha Salman al-Thani Centre; Dr Sahar al-Ani, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Middle East Centre; Nour al-Bisani from Diet Delight Centre; Dr Nagham al-Kreedi at Al-Dafna Medical Centre, as well as media figure Amal Abdul-Malik participated in the campaign.
Heba Nassar, health educator at QCS, said, “Cervical cancer can affect any woman and especially between the age of 20 – 50. Cervical cancer often does not show symptoms until it is at an advanced stage. So it is important to start early detection tests regularly even when one is healthy.
According to Nassar, the risk factors for cervical cancer include human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, smoking, recurrent cervical infections, family history, having given birth to three or more children, using birth control pills for a long time and lack of screening. She explained that the early signs and symptoms are abnormal vaginal bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, pelvic pain among others and it can be detected by Pap test or HPV test and prevent through HPV vaccine for those aged 15 years and above.
The Pap test is a simple one and the best time to do the test is 10-14 days from the first day of menstruation. The first Pap test should be done after 3 years of marriage if the age is 21 years or above. After the first Pap test, women should go for the test every three years until the age of 65. After 65, the test can be stopped if the last three Pap tests are normal. Pap tests can be done in most of the health centres of Primary Health Care Corporation.