Zubair Qureshi
President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Mrs Samina Alvi have called for joint efforts to curb incidence of breast cancer in the country and spread public awareness about it at all levels.
In their separate messages on the eve of International Day Against Breast Cancer (October 19), President and Mrs Alvi noted there was considerable work done during the last five years regarding awareness on breast cancer, however still a great deal of effort is required to bring down this alarming situation.
In his message, President Alvi held that most of the deaths due to breast cancer occurred in low and middle-income countries. “In Pakistan, almost 100,000 breast cancer cases occur annually, out of which 40,000 women die. Pakistan also has one of the highest mortality rates due to breast cancer in Asia,” said the president in his message adding, “Today we observe the International Day Against Breast Cancer to raise awareness about breast cancer and promote women’s access to timely diagnosis and treatment.”
Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer among women throughout the world, said the president in his message and stressed the need to highlight this critical issue with the aim of creating awareness about its early diagnosis to reduce the high mortality rate in Pakistan.
In her message Mrs Samina Alvi noted that breast cancer was the most common type of cancer as almost 44percent of cancer cases in women were that of breast cancer. There is a 98pc chance of a complete recovery from breast cancer if diagnosed in its early stages. However, social stigmas in Pakistan often deter women from seeking early diagnosis, resulting in an almost 50pc death rate, she said.
“This alarming situation can be improved by ensuring timely detection and early-stage treatment,” said she in her message adding, “I have been encouraging women to adopt the habit of self-examination and timely consult healthcare professionals if they find any lump in their chest area. For the past five years, we’ve been advocating for monthly self-examinations, and we have been able to remove social stigmas and educate the people through our awareness campaigns.”
