DHA implements mandatory breast cancer awareness for their female staff

The phased program is being implemented based on the directions of His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of the DHA.

Following his instructions, the Hospital Services Sector, headed by Dr Mohammad Al Olama, undertook this program to promote awareness about breast cancer and educate employees about the importance of early detection.

Hundred and twenty DHA female staff including physicians, paramedics and nurses volunteered to undertake training so that they can impart education about breast cancer to the rest of their female colleagues within the DHA.

Team members from the Breast Surgery Unit at Rashid Hospital have already begun training the 120 volunteers and once trained, these volunteers will begin awareness lectures and workshops for the female employees at DHA.

The awareness sessions will end in February 2010 and then the next phase of the program, which is the voluntary screening sessions, will take place from March until August 2010.

Farida Al Khaja, Planning Manager at the Business Development & Project Department, Hospital Services Sector, DHA, said:

"Conducting awareness sessions for 5855 women is a time-consuming task and we want to ensure that the sessions are worthwhile and useful therefore, we are implementing the program in phases."

While the awareness sessions are mandatory for every female DHA employee to attend, the screening programs are voluntary.

Al Khaja said this program is really crucial because there is a lack of awareness about breast cancer in the UAE and therefore many cases get detected when the disease is in its advanced stages, "As the health authority of the Emirate of Dubai, we understand the importance of awareness and early detection and while we are constantly working on awareness initiatives for the public, we decided it is important to begin this campaign within the DHA as well."

To effectively implement this program across the DHA headquarters, DHA hospitals and various DHA health clinics within Dubai, Al Khaja said that every institution will appoint a program coordinator to ensure the program runs smoothly and every female employee attends the awareness sessions.

Dr Faisal Badri, Consultant and Head of Surgical Department at Rashid Hospital is the Chairman of the Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Program and Dr Mouza Al Hattawi, from the Breast Cancer Surgical Team at Rashid Hospital is the DHA program coordinator for this initiative.