More than 20 million Egyptians aged 18 and above have benefited from free screening services provided under the presidential initiative for the early detection of cancer, the Ministry of Health and Population said on Friday.
The initiative, launched in June 2023 as part of the “100 Million Healthy Lives” campaign, provides free early screening for lung, prostate, colorectal and cervical cancers.
The initiative uses a simple and effective screening mechanism that begins with an electronic questionnaire designed to identify risk factors and symptoms, Health Ministry Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said.
People whose responses indicate potential risks are referred for advanced diagnostic tests, enabling treatment to begin promptly where necessary, he explained.
Abdel Ghaffar urged citizens to visit their nearest health unit or complete the initial screening questionnaire online.
Those who receive negative results are advised to undergo regular follow-up screening, while patients with positive results are referred to multidisciplinary medical committees to determine the appropriate treatment plan, he added.
Meanwhile, Khaled Abdel Aziz, executive director of the presidential initiative for the early detection and treatment of cancer, said the programme has so far detected 132 cases of lung cancer, 746 cases of colorectal cancer, 259 cases of prostate cancer and two cases of cervical cancer.
The initiative has also referred tens of thousands of citizens to smoking cessation clinics, he added.
