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The Department of Health (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, revealed that colorectal cancer is the top ranked cancer among male resident population in the Emirate, with a total of 175 registered colorectal cancer cases in 2015, 67% were among males.
DoH stressed that colorectal cancer screenings remain the cornerstone of colorectal cancer prevention and control, as they not only help to detect polyps before it turn into cancer but also catch cancer early which allows successful treatment and easier recovery for up to 90%. Based on DoH statistics, 42.5% of colorectal cancer cases were detected in their early stages in 2015 compared to 37% in 2014.
The Department of Health encourages all men and women over the age of 40, to undergo regular colorectal cancer screening tests to ensure early detection. These tests include a stool examination (Faecal Immunochemical Test, FIT), every two years, which is a simple, safe, and no pain test, or the routine colonoscopy screening every 10 years.
The Department of Health urges all members of the community who wish to take colorectal cancer screening tests to visit any of the 27 health facilities offering them throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. For more details on the facilities, their locations, and to make an appointment, please visit: www.haad.ae/simplycheck/appointment
Dr. Omniyat Al Hajeri, Director of Public Health and Research Division at DoH said: “With a firm belief that ‘prevention is better than cure’ and in line with our vision for ‘a healthier Abu Dhabi’, the Department of Health continues its efforts towards building a culture that embraces early detection of colorectal cancer among community members aged around 40 years old and above, to become a commitment and a lifestyle, beside this, DoH is raising awareness on adoption of healthy lifestyles.”
It is worth mentioning that symptoms of colorectal cancer does not display any symptoms in an early stage. later stage symptoms of colorectal cancer include; rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, a change in normal bowel movements (diarrhoea, constipation or both for more than 2 weeks), abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss or anaemia. The presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean having colorectal cancer, but it is wake-up call to consult a specialist doctor.
DoH’s efforts come in line with its cancer awareness campaign launched in October 2017 for a period of six months through March 2018, under the slogan "Live Healthily and Simply Check”. The campaign was designed to coincide with the global awareness months that are assigned for each respective disease: October for breast cancer, November for lung cancer, January for cervical cancer and March for colorectal cancer.
In collaboration with strategic partners in the health sector and other government entities, a number of educational and awareness materials have been activated on various social media channels and local media channels to raise awareness about cancer and its preventative measures. In addition, the DoH team is taking the opportunity to educate the community about colorectal cancer in different events such as Ladies Dash Race and the celebrations of the Women’s International Day in several entities.
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