A new, mobile breast screening unit is embarking on a city-wide tour to encourage women to take off their tops (discreetly) and get themselves checked.

The truck will travel to locations across Doha as part of a national campaign to promote screening for breast and bowel cancer.

It will offer mammograms to women who have made prior appointments with the service.

According to QNA, the checks will be carried out in private by a female mammography technologist and trained nurses.

Early screenings key

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in Qatar, accounting for 31 percent of cancer cases in women.

According to the Qatar Cancer Registry, there are approximately 56 cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women living in the country.

This is a bit higher than the average rate across the Middle East and North Africa, which stood at 43 cases per 100,000.

For years, doctors have said early screenings are key to finding and beating this form of cancer, and the new bus hopes to help make it more convenient for women to get checked.

The free service is open to women aged 45 to 69 years old who have valid Hamad medical cards, a representative of the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) told Doha News.

Appointments for mammograms can be made by calling the PHCC’s cancer screening call center at 8001112.

Thoughts?