EVER since assuming the office, President Arif Alvi has made his presence felt by eagerly trying to contribute in redressing the chronic issues faced by our country. To achieve this, he has consistently been seen engaging with different strata of society ranging from entrepreneurs to the religious scholars.
His emphasis has also been on the greater role of women in the society as indeed they constitute fifty per cent of the population and without their contribution, the country cannot make progress. They indeed can play a big role only if the issues and hurdles coming in their way are also addressed. Interacting with the senior journalists on Tuesday, the President called for creating across the board awareness about breast cancer and its early diagnosis to reduce mortality rate in the country which, in fact, is highest in Asia. He said a strategy is also under consideration to disseminate breast cancer awareness messages through cellular public messaging and establishing a telephone helpline for prompt information. It really goes to the credit of both President Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi for spearheading a relentless campaign against breast cancer over the last two years. Especially during the month of October which marks the awareness drive on the disease, Samina Alvi has remained at the forefront, addressing seminars, conferences and visiting the educational institutions as part of efforts to raise greater awareness about the disease. Breast cancer claims the life of more than 17,000 women in Pakistan every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), although charities and doctors in the country claim the annual figure is closer to 40,000. The disease is completely curable if diagnosed at an early stage. The regrettable part is that the cultural and social taboos in our country make it very hard for women to get the help they need to survive. Undoubtedly, the issue could not be addressed properly until it is discussed in the society openly and without any hesitation. And we are confident that both President Alvi and the First Lady will continue their endeavours in this regard. This will be great national service. The religious scholars also need to be taken on board to create awareness on breast cancer and remove the taboos allied with the disease.
