In a concerted effort to bolster the fight against breast cancer, Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saqr Hospital, an affiliate of Emirates Health Services. The aim is to amplify awareness campaigns for early breast cancer detection and to expand the spectrum of services available to women diagnosed with this condition.
Under this collaborative initiative, FOCP will assume a pivotal role in covering treatment expenses for specific community segments. A joint committee comprising representatives from both entities will oversee this endeavour, encompassing awareness campaigns alongside the provision of medical staff and essential equipment for early breast cancer screening.
The signing of the MoU, endorsed by Aisha Al Mulla, Director of FOCP, and Dr. Muna Al Ayyan, Consultant Breast Surgeon and Director of Saqr Hospital, reinforces bilateral ties in breast cancer awareness and early detection efforts.
Reflecting on the significance of the MoU, Aisha Al Mulla remarked: “At FOCP, we are deeply committed to fostering robust partnerships and amplifying collaborative endeavours with institutions, hospitals, and organisations at the forefront of the cancer battle, particularly against breast cancer. Through a series of strategic agreements and MoUs, we aim to consolidate national endeavours aimed at curbing the proliferation of breast cancer and substantially alleviating its impact on those affected by this debilitating disease.”
Dr. Muna Al Ayyan echoed these sentiments, stating, “The MoU signifies a pivotal milestone in the fight against breast cancer. It bolsters our awareness campaigns, which are geared towards identifying breast cancer, understanding its aetiology, and underscoring the significance of early detection for more efficacious treatment outcomes. We extend our gratitude to FOCP for their unwavering support of our vision and endeavours. Their substantial contribution towards defraying a portion of the treatment costs is invaluable.”
Free examinations
The MoU stipulates that Saqr Hospital will provide medical and administrative teams to support the mobile clinic campaigns, offering the necessary support and conducting medical consultations along with free examinations to aid in the early detection of breast cancer. This includes providing mammograms and ultrasound examinations as required during the awareness campaigns.
Under the memorandum, Saqr Hospital commits to providing medical and administrative teams to cover the mobile clinic campaigns and provide support when needed, offering medical consultation and free examinations for early detection of breast cancer, including mammogram and ultrasound examinations when required during the awareness campaigns, completing diagnostic examinations to include laboratory samples for suspected cases, and providing treatment services either through the hospital or by referral to one of the accredited oncology centres in the country by agreement between the two parties by the joint committee.
Mobile clinics
Meanwhile, FOCP will organise awareness campaigns focused on early detection. It will also supply a mobile clinic and medical staff, as requested by Saqr Hospital, for use in its awareness campaigns. Additionally, FOCP will help cover medical expenses for specific segments of patients, as agreed with the hospital. Finally, women displaying clear symptoms of breast cancer will be transferred directly to Saqr Hospital for fast-track diagnosis, bypassing the breast cancer early detection screening.