JEDDAH, 7 October 2006 — The first center for early diagnosis of cancer will open in Riyadh next month, according to Dr. Abdullah ibn Suleiman Al-Amr, chairman of Saudi Cancer Society, a charitable organization.
“This will be the first center to conduct early diagnosis of cancer in the Kingdom,” he said about Abdullatif Charitable Cancer Center in the capital city.
“We will give priority to conducting early diagnosis for breast cancer as a result of growing breast cancer cases among Saudi women,” Amr said.
Businessman Abdullatif Al-Abdullatif has donated SR8 million to meet operation expenses of the center for a year.
“We are now recruiting experienced staff including doctors and nurses to run the center,” Amr said.
The new cancer center has specialized clinics with advanced medical equipment to diagnose various types of cancers in both men and women. He said the center targets to achieve 90 percent cure for women suffering from breast cancer.
He also disclosed plans to set up an endowment for the society in Riyadh at a cost of SR30 million in order to secure permanent revenue to finance its activities.
He noted Crown Prince Sultan’s continuous support to the society. “Every year we receive a donation of SR1 million from the crown prince,” he told reporters after launching the society’s website, www.saudicancer.com.
He attributed the growing number of cancer cases in the Kingdom and other parts of the world to environmental, natural and human factors.
“The annual increase in the number of cancer patients in the Kingdom will double from 7,000 in the current decade to 15,000 in the coming decade,” he pointed out.
“This demands greater efforts to treat cancer patients,” he said.
The society intends to open new branches in Qasim, Jizan and the Northern Border Region.
“We also intend to open offices at hospitals that provide specialized treatment to cancer patients,” he said.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khoraif, adviser for planning and development at the society, said his organization had allocated a special number (0500866880) to assist patients and receive donations.
The society provides financial assistance to cancer patients on the basis of medical reports they receive from hospitals.
“We have provided assistance worth more than SR1.6 million to about 1,500 patients during the past years,” he added.
The society also provides free accommodation to people coming to Riyadh from outside the city.
“We also pay ticket charges of patients and their relatives. During the last three years, the society gave SR918,800 to 1,564 people in ticket charges.
