Abu Dhabi: The cost of screenings can often be a constraint for individuals who wish to screen themselves for cancer risk.
On average, a mammogram costs about Dh300 and a pap test to check for cervical cancer costs Dh100. Colonoscopies to test for colorectal cancer cost between Dh2,000 to Dh3,000, but a faecal exam can also be used as an alternative, and this costs about Dh100.
Dr Jalaa Taher, manager of non-communicable diseases at the HAAD, however said that a number of public and private healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi emirate would be offering free and discounted screening services during the Live Healthy and Simply Check campaign.
Details about these centres and their contact details are currently available on www.haad.ae/simplycheck
Screening registry
Dr Jalaa added that a new system in the emirate of Abu Dhabi now requires all public and private healthcare facilities to notify the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) about all cancer screenings undertaken. The system, which has been running for about three months, will help create a registry of cancer risk factors among the emirate’s population.
“Facilities that fail to notify the HAAD could also lose their registered screening centre status, and this ensures that all such tests are reported,” she added.
