DUBAI: After international fears increased last week over French company Poly Implant Prothese (FIP) over concerns their breast implants could rupture and leak silicone into the body, Qatar has said it has not received any alerts at its hospitals over the matter. “Qatari hospitals do not deal with the controversial French company,” medical sources told local daily Al Arab on Monday. The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) said in a statement that it was monitoring the situation and said that all pharmaceutical imports into the country are controlled and supervised. There are, however, concerns that women who have traveled abroad could have used the PIP implants and could face severe health worries in Qatar. Doha appears to be downplaying the possible threat to its citizens, but the public statements on the matter have increased worries that a number of Qatari women might be under threat. In France, more than 1,000 ruptures pushed Health Minister Xavier Bertrand to offer to pay for 30,000 women around the country to have their breast implants removed. In Israel, around 1,000 Israeli women called a special health ministry hotline to seek advice about their breast implants. The ministry believes that 850 women in the country have PIP implants. The figure, according to local daily Haaretz, represents five percent of the total number of women who have undergone implant procedures in Israel. Back in Qatar, Mona Rashed told Bikyamasr.com that a few of her friends who received breast implants have already been to their doctor, and precautions are being taken on a personal level. “This is a private matter and while women appreciate the government's concern, we are going to do everything we can to ensure the safety of our own bodies,” she said. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/p7txn Tags: Breast Implants, Hospital, PIP, Silicone Section: Health, Latest News, Qatar, Women
