In implementation of the cabinet’s retreat which was held in December 2013, the team members of the cancer screening held a meeting in the ShangriLa hotel in Dubai lately, to highlight the latest solutions for facing cancer as well as preventive procedures that are followed in this regard and find the current healthcare needs for cancer patients.

In this context, Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for Hospitals Sector, lauded the efforts of the ministry’s strategic partners noting that cancer early screening avoids early death cases and the financial burden of the disease on the country.

He said: “The cancer early screening initiative formed three sub committees from cancer diseases specialists in the Ministry of Health, Dubai and Abu Dhabi Health authorities, civil society organizations, private sector and academia to establish the guidelines for the early screening of: breast, colon and cervical cancers”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mona Al Kuwari, Director of Specialized healthcare department in the Ministry of Health and head of the breast cancer early screening team, said: “We look for implementing the initiatives with all related authorities to adopt our suggested solutions and recommendations in this regard. It is very important to involve the private sector in this project and receive their recommendations too.

Dr. Al Kuwari added that the team members from Abu Dhabi and Dubai Health authorities, Tawam hospital, SEHA, College of Medicine in UAEU, lauded the initiative and assure its importance since the outcomes will assist both doctors and technicians to conduct the required tests for all targeted society members, prevent the dissemination of the diseases and discover the required treatment.

The seminar’s participants discussed the guidelines of the experts and divided the teams into three to discuss the guidelines of breast, cervical and colon cancer. After the approval of these guidelines of the seminar, the breast cancer early screening team will organize a number of training sessions for both doctors and technicians to work according to the set guidelines. It is worth mentioning to know that Novartis is sponsoring the activities of these seminars in order to find the most adequate solutions for cancer diseases .