The Ministry of Public Health Opens Qatar Cancer Information Center

On Thursday evening, June 2, 2022, the Ministry of Public Health unveiled the electronic platform Qatar Cancer Information Center in the presence of a group of experts and academics from Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The Qatar Cancer Information Center is the state's national reference for cancer information, with the goal of providing a complete governance structure for high-quality, up-to-date, and reliable cancer information as well as communication between all involved institutions and individuals.

Dr. Saleh Ali Al-Marri, Assistant Minister of Public Health for Health Affairs, stressed the importance of developing cancer services in Qatar and their impact on society in his opening speech, explaining that the Ministry of Public Health has developed strategic plans to achieve this goal through the national strategy in collaboration with public and private sector institutions.

"The Qatar Cancer Information Center will aim to promote awareness of the disease and develop bridges between health care providers and researchers to ensure the advancement of health services given to cancer patients," said the Assistant Minister of Public Health for Health Affairs. He also congratulated the National Cancer Program employees at the Ministry of Public Health, as well as all health care workers.

"The Government of Qatar's support and advice to health plans has paid off through the exceptional quality of care provided to cancer patients in the country," stated Lord Ara Darzi, Chairman of the National Council for Cancer Governance. Lord Darzi explained that the first national cancer strategy, which ran from 2011 to 2016, laid the groundwork for exceptional health services, and that the national cancer framework came along to finish the job by constructing a comprehensive system that covers all stages of the disease, from early detection to treatment, and concluding with encouraging scientific research in this jurisdiction. He also expressed gratitude to Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, for her unwavering support for the country's cancer services.

The Qatar Cancer Information Center, according to the Director of the Public Health Department, will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, health care providers, and community members, and will also provide continuous monitoring of cancer information while respecting patient rights. He expressed gratitude to the members of the National Cancer Program as well as everyone who helped to establish the important center.

His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Cancer Society, expressed his delight at being able to attend the opening of the Qatar Cancer Information Center, praising the National Cancer Program, which operates under the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, for its pivotal role and tireless efforts in the field of cancer control. He praised the Society's and the National Cancer Program's ongoing collaboration in a number of areas, including the unified national initiatives to raise cancer awareness, the development of health workers' capacities through continuing medical education programs, and cooperation on the Qatar National Cancer Control Plan 2023-2025.