Dubai Health Authority and Philips Middle East have collaborated to implement a comprehensive breast cancer screening program at five primary healthcare centers and key hospitals including Dubai and Hatta Hospitals.
Philips’ breast cancer screening program is based on a unique combination of hardware, software and IT infrastructure to streamline population-based screening and give caregivers the opportunity to focus on cancer cases that are tested positive and require attention. By automating negative cases, this approach allows the program to reach a larger cross-section of the population.
H. E. Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the DHA said, “Our vision is to reduce the national cancer mortality rate through early detection. Through the collaboration, the public healthcare system will benefit from Philips’ several years of knowledge within population-based screening, adapting the same to the UAE’s unique cultural requirements.”
The global cancer burden is estimated to have risen to 18.1 million new cases in 2018 . One in six women worldwide develop cancer during their lifetime and one in 11 women die from the disease . Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women (24.2%, i.e. about one in four of all new cancer cases diagnosed in women worldwide are breast cancer) . Breast cancer is responsible for 24 per cent of all cancer-related deaths among women in the UAE .
Ozlem Fidanci, CEO, Philips Middle East and Turkey said, “The earlier a tumor is diagnosed, the greater the chances of survival. With figures suggesting the incidence of cancer cases to double in the region by 2030, we are happy to collaborate with the National Health Agenda to reduce the mortality rate. As Philips, we want to support physicians and patients with more than public awareness and technology, by offering an integrated approach and a range of different care pathways.”
The program includes a continued medical education module for radiologists and radiographers to be certified by the Dutch National Expert and Training Centre for Breast Cancer (LRCB) while benefitting from Philips’ clinical expertise.
