Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine, and the Qatar Cancer Society (QCS), has intensified its nationwide initiatives to promote breast cancer awareness and emphasize the critical importance of early detection throughout October 2026.
Operating under the slogan "Your Strength Begins with Early Detection," the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign featured 13 awareness activities across workplaces, schools, and community centres. These initiatives were supported by an extensive digital health campaign detailing risk factors, risk-reduction strategies, and clear guidance on accessing routine screening services.
As part of the campaign, the National Cancer Program hosted a central awareness event at the MoPH headquarters. The event featured an interactive educational pavilion where organizers distributed resource materials, addressed public inquiries regarding the disease, its risk factors and provided direct information on available clinical paths and early detection services in Qatar.
According to the latest data from the National Cancer Registry, Qatar recorded 567 cases of breast cancer (including localized tumors) in 2023. Of these, 562 cases found in women (99.12%) and five cases were in men (0.88%). By nationality, 162 cases were registered among Qatari citizens (28.57%) and 405 cases among non-Qatari residents (71.43%).
The data from the Qatar Cancer Information Center's Early Detection Registry (QCID) reveals that 71,829 mammograms were performed between 2016 and December 2025, with 49,276 women underwent at least one screening during this period. From January to the end of September 2026, 7,024 women underwent mammograms as part of the Breast Cancer Early Detection Program.
The State of Qatar continues to strengthen its regional and international collaborations to enhance the quality of early cancer detection programs and build robust national and regional capacities. Key initiatives include partnering with the Gulf Center for Disease Prevention and Control (GCDC) to implement the Gulf Training Program and active participation in the Gulf Working Group on Improving the Quality of Early Detection.
In these forums, Qatar shared its successful model for monitoring and evaluation systems and inviting beneficiaries. Furthermore, Qatar maintains collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Qatar also actively contributed to the WHO-led Global Breast Cancer Initiative discussions, reviewing global survival rate estimates while providing vital national data and technical observations. A study published in the journal Nature Medicine, which evaluated data across 194 member countries, highlighted Qatar’s ranking among the highest in the Eastern Mediterranean Region for women's five-year net survival rates for breast cancer.
Domestically, the MoPH builds strategic alliances with key health sector partners to continually develop prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment services. This collaborative approach directly optimizes the quality of care provided to cancer patients, ultimately improving clinical outcomes and overall quality of life.
The Ministry affirms that early breast cancer detection services are available free of charge year-round through the National Program for Early Detection of Breast and Bowel Cancer at Al Wakra, Leabaib, Rawdat Al Khail, and Muaither health centres.
The Ministry urges women aged 45 to 69 who are asymptomatic and have not undergone a screening within the last three years to book a free screening appointment and commit to taking the test once every three years, stressing the importance of early detection in enhancing the chances of treatment and recovery.
Eligible individuals can book appointments through direct physician e-referrals, PHCC's Nar'aakom App, or online service channels. Bookings can also be made directly by calling the screening hotlines at 800-1112 or 4027-7770.
