The Ministry of Health & Prevention signs an agreement with the Friends of Cancer Society to strengthen the National Breast Cancer Registry

June 4, 2017: The Ministry of Health & Prevention (MOHAP), represented by the Statistics and Research Center, signed a service level agreement with the Friends of Cancer Patients Society in Sharjah and its Pink Convoy initiative, to strengthen institutional cooperation in research and statistics, to develop the UAE’s National Cancer Registry. The agreement was signed at the Ministry’s head office in Dubai by Dr. Hussein Abdel-Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary of MOHAPS’s Health Centers and Clinics Sector, and H.E. Sawsan Al Fahoum Jafar, Chairman of the Board of the Friends of Breast Cancer Patients Society. 

Dr. Al-Rand highlighted the importance of the agreement, as part of efforts to strengthen community partnerships between voluntary organizations and civil society organization, to achieve cooperation in the fight against breast cancer. This supports the Ministry’s efforts to raise awareness regarding the importance of regular checkups for the early detection of cancer. The Ministry exerts all efforts to encourage the further adoption of a healthy lifestyle by the community, to reduce the risk of disease. MOHAP launched the ‘Itmenan’ initiative to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. Through the initiative, the Ministry successful lowered the numbered of deaths caused by cancer from 99 in 100,000 people, to 64.2. This adheres to the framework of the UAE Vision 2021.

Dr. Al-Rand explained that the Ministry’s Department of Statistics and Research is developing a sustainable and comprehensive research system to meet the requirements of policy makers, the business community and the general public, by establishing cooperation with a number of research partners. The agreement was signed to strengthen the UAE’s National Cancer Registry, and achieve key performance indicators. Jafar noted the important role the agreement will play to strengthen the National Cancer Registry, while enhancing cooperation to combat breast cancer, and encouraging all concerned parties to provide as much support as possible.

Jafar commended the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife Sheikha Jawahar Al Qasimi, Founding President of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society, to raise community awareness regarding breast cancer.     The newly signed agreement will facilitate the development of systematic and structured framework, to re-issue data to electronic systems and timetables, according to approved methods and standards. This will contribute to improving the quality of data, while avoiding duplication. Optimizing the use of administrative records, and reducing the need to rely on surveys will lessen the workload and optimize resource utilization. This will also contribute to enhancing statistical capabilities and competencies, while providing accurate information regarding the number of breast cancer patients in the UAE. The new agreement will oversee the planning of new services, monitoring, and the improvement of research and education until the number of cancer patients is successfully reduced.