Scan Today, Not Tomorrow

The campaign comes in line with the Ministry’s strategy to combat cancer and reduce its impact on society by raising awareness about the importance of screening and early detection. The campaign will target all women over 40, especially those who have not screened for at least two years. It will include clinical examinations and mammograms supervised by a specialized medical team, in accordance with best international practices. The launch of the " Scan Today, Not Tomorrow " campaign comes within the framework of the Ministry's efforts to achieve the national agenda for the UAE Vision 2021 aimed at implementing a health system based on the highest international standards. These activities will support the initiatives of universal periodic screening and "early detection of cancer", as well as within its strategic direction towards strengthening Prevention and awareness methods to protect society from diseases. Where it is one of the Ministry's efforts targeted at Emirati and resident women during the ‘Year of Tolerance’ announced by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. It also comes as a response to the directives extended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai to create Government Accelerators the achievement of the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021; and as part of the government accelerator related to the national indicator to reduce cancer mortality. The campaign aims to raise awareness around breast cancer and prevention, as well as encourage women to go for screenings by mammograms. It will include a number of awareness activities and programs, to educate members of society on the importance of breast cancer screening. A variety of awareness activities, including lectures and workshops on cancer and prevention will be carried out in the Ministry's health centers, and government entities. The Ministry is working tirelessly to raise the public’s awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer, prevention, and treatment, as breast cancer being the most common type of cancer worldwide, and one of the top five reasons of cancer related fatalities. The initiatives for early screening of all kinds have improved the results of early cancer screening coverage among the target age groups and contributed to the UAE obtaining first place globally in the presence of national early detection programs. Several policies were also issued (the Unified Policy for Reducing Cancer Mortality in the United Arab Emirates, the Population Based Cancer Screening Policy and Framework, the Cancer Patient Waiting Policy, the Cancer Patient Referral Policy to Hospitals Providing Treatment) that led to the governance and standardization of procedures and performance indicators used. To improve the participation rate of target groups of community members for early cancer screening, in addition to improving the experience of cancer patients during the diagnosis and treatment journey and working to shorten the waiting time and avoid any unnecessary delay.