The Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPH) of the Department of Health (Abu Dhabi) has organized a ceremony where strategic partners were honored for their efforts and contributions to raise awareness among the community about cancer and ways to prevent it, and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the campaign against cancer in the emirate.
The ceremony, which was held in Abu Dhabi, was attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi Mohammed Hamad Al Hameli, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Public Health Center Matar Al Nuaimi, and representatives of strategic partners.
During the ceremony, His Excellency Sheikh Al-Hamed honored more than 44 strategic partners who contributed to promoting cancer awareness, including inspirational figures in the field of cancer and individuals contributing to the fight against cancer, the institutions most involved in the annual cancer awareness campaign, health care providers who achieved the highest percentage. Coverage of early screening for cancer among healthcare providers in Abu Dhabi.
Over the past 10 years, Abu Dhabi has raised the rates of early detection to 84% of all cases, more than 41% of those with colon cancer and nearly 83% of cervical cancers. More than 35,000 mammograms were conducted between 2015 and 2018.
Knowledge and experience of health professionals were also provided to advance the process of cancer prevention. Medical education and training was provided to more than 10,000 health professionals in the Emirate. The number of centers offering early screening for cancer has risen from just one in 2012 to more than 75 today.
Addressing the audience, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, Matar Al Nuaimi, said, “The Department of Health Abu Dhabi has over the past years adopted a strategic approach based on prevention to combat cancer, reinforced by issuing four recommendations for early detection of cancer in the UAE. In addition, the Department has been a pioneer in providing cervical cancer vaccinations to more than 95% of the target population in the Abu Dhabi community annually. ”
“We at the Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center will spare no effort to activate cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, and to reduce the psychological, physical and social suffering of the patient.”
It is worth mentioning that cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world and affects more than 14 million people annually. The Department of Health Abu Dhabi has launched the campaign “Health safety and reassurance” to educate the community about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and early detection of cancer through periodic examinations. And to promote cervical cancer vaccines as part of its responsibility to reduce cancer incidence and complications of late detection.