About 1,200 delegates are attending the Qatar International Thyroid Cancer Conference, which opened under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.

The opening ceremony of the two-day event, organised by Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) at Ritz Carlton Doha, was attended by HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs Yousef bin Mohamed al-Othman Fakhro, HE  Wilb Kembel  Ambassador of Austria to Qatar   , and number of other dignitaries and officials.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, QCS chairman Dr Sheikh Khalid bin Jabor al-Thani, highlighted the importance of the conference as well as the rise in thyroid cancer cases in Qatar. The conference will discuss the latest developments in the treatment of thyroid cancer, the second highest prevalent cancer among women in Qatar, he stated.

“In the last five years, we have noticed that the onset of thyroid cancer has been on the rise roughly 20% per year. From 51 cases in 2015, it has jumped into 110 in 2018. This is very alarming and we need to know why this is happening,” noted Sheikh Khalid.

“More than 50% of the cases are below the age of 35. This conference will set guidelines and find out ways to get to the reasons of it. It will also create a more direct, selective and efficient programmes to tackle it-in terms of awareness, early detection and prevention and treatments as well,” explained the official.

The conference under the theme ‘Present Standards and New Perspectives’, has participants and speakers from various countries such as Austria, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, India and other parts of the world.

Several leading officials and physicians from the Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation as well as other organisations in Qatar are also participating in this international conference.

The opening session was followed by a workshop which targeted the public and included an awareness session about the available services in Qatar for problems of thyroid gland, methods of self-examination and medical consultation for skin care for people with thyroid cancer.

Another workshop focused on people living with thyroid cancer. The topics to be covered include medical advice required at a stage after treatment, yoga exercises for thyroid health to reduce stress, detection methods, and free medical tests and consultations for thyroid gland.