Bank Sohar Supports Oman Cancer Association

Empowering their members and volunteers, Bank Sohar has committed support to Oman Cancer Association (OCA) under its CSR programme - ‘Sohar Al Atta’. The bank’s support for OCA enable the delivery of training workshops over a period of 12 months, guiding members and volunteers on how to aid the treatment and recovery of cancer patients and support their families through counselling, as well as providing quality healthcare assistance at home. This will further OCA’s nationwide awareness campaign to promote early diagnosis and healthy lifestyle.

Mr. Ahmed Al Musalmi, CEO of Bank Sohar commented on the ongoing support and said, “Empowering local communities towards a better state of health and aiding volunteers to raise the quality of care offered by organisations such as OCA is a primary area of investment for CSR nationwide. By enabling volunteers to accommodate the rising numbers of cancer patients across the Sultanate, Bank Sohar is able to have a measurable impact on the society it serves. The Bank’s work with OCA began almost 10 years ago and has retained a strong focus on the early identification of cancer as well as supporting the growth of volunteers that very generously donate their time to aiding the organisation’s mission.”

Bank Sohar’s support for OCA stretches back to the bank’s earliest undertakings in CSR. In 2009 the bank initiated support through the maintenance of OCA’s mobile mammography unit that travels the nation to screen people for cancer at home. In 2010 the bank went on to support the Dar Al Hanan’s ‘Home Away from Home’ campaign for children receiving treatment; in 2011 a month long cancer awareness drive; and in 2012/13/14 a cancer awareness walkathon, from which funds were raised and reinvested into the mammography unit and Dar Al Hanan. Later in 2015/16 the bank provided resources to OCA’s annual mammogram screening campaign for women above 40 years based on their increased risk of breast cancer.

Mr. Nader Al Azri, Acting CEO of OCA, commented “in collaboration with health authorities across the GCC, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern for the health of local communities in reference to various forms of cancer. The global authority has anticipated that the number of cases will likely double in GCC countries by 2030, with Oman’s Ministry of Health recording approximately 80 new cases of the disease amongst children alone each year.

Al Azri added “Bank Sohar’s contribution is of great value in boosting our momentum and success in delivering upon key objectives, notably increasing the quality of care provided by OCA, in addition to increasing community engagement and encourage the pre-emptive and voluntary screening. This is an important step in raising the health of society in the struggle against such a difficult disease, and when we consider the Ministry of Health’s reports on the severe rise of cancer in Oman, these efforts are absolutely essential. We thank Bank Sohar for their continued and long-standing support for OCA, and we look forward to continued collaboration in the years to come.”

Oman Cancer Association is a non-governmental, non-profit organization registered at the Ministry of Social Development in 2004. OCA serves local communities through landmark projects, fundraising, and generating greater awareness on the various types of cancer. With a focus on empowerment, human resource development and research, OCA collaborates with and supports other non-profits across the GCC and further afield. The organisation supports community screening for breast cancer through a mobile mammography unit that travels across Oman, as well as providing a home for children residing far from an oncology centre at no cost to their respective family.

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