BEIRUT - In a country with a cancer rate of 224 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the American University of Beirut (AUB) is taking proactive steps to empower the community through education, awareness, and prevention.
In an exclusive interview with enmaeya, Director of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Dr. Hiba Moukadem explained that the program aims to raise awareness and offer early detection and treatment tools.
The program is led by a 13-member committee, primarily composed of physicians from various specialties at AUBMC, who collectively design initiatives that target both patients and the broader community.
The program’s activities are divided into two main avenues. First, a series of monthly awareness videos is shared on AUBMC’s social media platforms, offering digestible, expert-backed insights on cancer prevention.
Second, the program conducts in-person awareness activities, both within the hospital and through outreach campaigns to engage communities directly.
Dr. Moukadem reflects on the program’s origins: “The NKBCI vision included not only care for our patients with cancer but also care for our community. There was an unmet need for education about how to prevent cancer and how to detect it early, before it becomes advanced and fatal.”
Since its establishment, the program has evolved from a focus on general awareness to targeted campaigns addressing specific cancers, ranging from breast and skin cancer to colon, cervix, bladder, prostate, sarcoma, and leukemia.
Dr. Moukadem emphasizes, “Our efforts are mainly on awareness campaigns on different types of cancers, focused on people-centered care for our community.”
Beyond AUB, the Ministry of Public Health’s National Cancer Plan dedicates a chapter to prevention and early detection.
Notably, in 2025, the Ministry led a fully funded breast cancer screening campaign, while 2026 initiatives have focused on colorectal cancer screening and HPV vaccination strategies.
As Dr. Moukadem notes, early detection and informed care can save lives—and it is through programs like this that those lifesaving opportunities become a reality.
