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The prevalence of this deadly ailment is the highest amongst all types of cancer in the country i.e. 38.5 per cent. —Reuters photo
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer all over Asia due to which every year 40,000 women die.
One out of every nine women in Pakistan faces risk of the disease while the prevalence of this deadly ailment is the highest amongst all types of cancer in the country i.e. 38.5 per cent.
This was shared by the speakers at a workshop held here on Monday to inaugurate Pink Ribbon Campaign supported by higher education commission (HEC) and Pakistan atomic energy commission (PAEC) cancer hospital to mark 2012 as `Pink Ribbon Youth Year`.
National coordinator, Pink Ribbon, Omer Aftab said that fortunately, breast cancer can be detected and cured at a very early stage.
Therefore, it is important to focus on prevention and diagnoses rather than cure since early diagnosis in breast cancer increases chances of survival to more than 90 per cent, he said.
`The recent trends in Pakistan have shown that the breast cancer incidence is alarmingly high in young girls. On the other hand older women are also reluctantin getting them medically checked on regular intervals.
This issue,` he said, `can be addressed using daughters who are normally closer to the mothers and theycan be usedasinfluencers for the older generation.
They can motivate their mothers for a regular breast examination and medical check-up,` said Omer.
As many as 25,000 students from 15 colleges and universities of Islamabad and 500,000 youths of nearly 500 educational institutions aH over the country will be given awareness about breast cancer this year, he said.
Chairman HEC Dr Javed Laghari assured that HEC will provide assistance and full cooperation during the campaign. Additional secretary, Pakistan Post, Fazal Sattar told that 500,000 postal stamps have been introduced to give awareness regarding the disease.
Assistant Inspector General Motorway police, Dr Farooq assured that as motorway police was already taking part in pollo eradication campaign, officials of the force can easily take part in the awareness campaign regarding breast cancer too.
Vice Chancellor FatimaJinnah University, Samina Amin Qadir stressed that female university students can play a vital role in the campaign and they should make their families aware of the dangers of disease.
Head of the learning and innovation department, HEC, Noor Amna Malik while talking to Dawn said that unfortunately it has become a routine that we receive programmes from west and introduce them in the country.
`We should first conduct research on the diseases and after finding the reasons behind them, cure them and only then should launch awareness campaigns.
`Environment, culture and lifestyle of east and west are different due to which methods of cure can also differ. One of the basic reasons of our problem is poor literacy rate. In India, just because of better literacy rate, breast cancer ratio is ten times lesser as compared to Pakistan.
So government should pay attention to the education sector,` she said.
Omer Aftab informed Dawn that their teams will start visiting the universities from Tuesday (today) besides starting to organise medical camps.
Very sad to know about the alarming number. I respectfully disagree with the comment that 'there is no such thing in Pakistan. It is our attitude that do not let us correct ourselves and eradicate diseases. If we do not want to be aware of some disease, how we can understand symptoms and signs; and seek cure. It is rigidness in our society that is the biggest shackle we have imposed on ourselves, that do not let us open our eyes and move forward.
Media can play an important role in spreading the awareness of this deadly disorder. Highly researched documentaries on Paksitani most seen channels can help in increasing the awareness of this condition. please focus on the cause. what are thethings causes breast cancer
Even "one" is far too many, education,education, education will only bring about greater awareness and early diagnosis will save many from this dreadful disease. Please "don`t be ignorant about this extremely important issue.
No doubt, Breast cancer is a deadly disease. but i will not agree with their statement that it is affecting young girls of pakistan. Breast CA is a disease of after 40, it is very rare to have it in 20s or 30s, until n unless some one unlucky is geneticaly predisposed to it. & i agree that we should first do some research & then launch a project, blindly copying the west will not lead us to success. as still the main problem of our region is infectious diseases, we should first adress them & then move to some organic diseases like breast CA.
No doubt, Breast cancer is a deadly disease, but i will not agree with their statement that many young girls are affected from it in pakistan. It is very rare to have it before 40. only few unlucky females who have strong genetic predisposition to develop it will get it in their 20s or 30s. & i agree we should first do a research that whether we need such a program or not? still we are living in an infectious era, we should focus it before going to some organic disease like breast cancer.
This is not true. This is the gimic of the doctors and the medicine companies. Exactly they started in west countries and they are killing women and now they are starting in eastern countries. They want to sell their medicine and make money. There is no such thing in Pakistan. They will fool to Pakistani women. If Pakistani women live natural lives they will not get cancer Insa-Allah.
Thats very ignorant comment from someone who is educated. No wonder why Polio still exist in Pakistan when its contained in every part of the world.
I think we need to change our attitude and should raise awareness about many diseases. I wonder when our Government will feel responsibility that we need to educate our people.
Wow, talk about ignorance. Instead of getting proper check up your suggestion is not to do anything?
what is the percentage of this disease in lahore city?
its not the breast cancer that is killing the patients, its their inability to get a good treatment. Our so called free hospitals like shoukat khanam are only for rich people. its very painful to see someone in constant pain and with not enough money to get good treatment. I am not exaggerating, i am posting this reply while sitting in oncology ward of ganga raam hospital with my ailing relative……
you are absolutly right. i second you.
the same thing happend with one of my
relative. he was a computer operator
with average income of Rs.12000 only
suffering from cancer. he went from KHi
for treatment. they asked him to submit
Rs. 300,000 to start the treatment. he return back to
karachi and eventually died after few month in
jinnah hospital.
We should arrange programmes for the awareness of Breast Cancer in the school and communities level. It can also be started in the areas by choosing one flat/house and gathered women to see the presentation on the Breast Cancer.
typo error… the headline says: 400000 lives but the article starts by suggesting 40000 lives…