Virus notwithstanding, do not delay visits to the doctor for health checkups, says Abu Dhabi hospital
- 20 Aug 2020
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
Physicians at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, are urging residents to resume regular doctor visits following the disruption of the last few months.
The call comes as Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi resumes its full range of services and was declared COVID-19 free by the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi in June. Physicians are concerned that the main health challenge now facing the community is a reluctance to visit the doctor for health checks and screenings. Health systems around the world have said that delayed or cancelled screenings may contribute to thousands of preventable deaths from diseases such as cancer, and heart disease.
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"While people are generally reticent to make doctor visits, the pandemic and resulting disruptions have only compounded that hesitation. As we resume all services at the hospital, my larger concern is that people’s health will suffer if they further delay their doctor visits,” says Dr. Allison Herbert, the lead physician of Executive Health in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Effective screening has been linked to significantly higher survival rates for a wide range of diseases. By diagnosing a condition in its earliest stages or detecting the warning signs before it develops, doctors have a much wider array of treatments available to them. Patients can then benefit from much less aggressive forms of care.
Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in Abu Dhabi. Early detection has been proven to be hugely beneficial in successfully treating and even preventing both conditions. Colon cancer, a leading cause of death among men, can be prevented if warning signs are detected while heart disease is much easier to treat in its early stages.
"Early detection is really the name of the game. If people schedule regular visits, we can detect warning signs of potential concern and offer more treatment options that are less disruptive. The alternative, where a condition has progressed and we’re limited to an invasive treatment, is far worse,” continues Dr. Herbert.