President Launches Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

President Dr Arif Alvi Friday launched a campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer and stressed that 90 percent of the patients could be treated with early detection of the disease

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Oct, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi Friday launched a campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer and stressed that 90 percent of the patients could be treated with early detection of the disease.

Speaking at a breast cancer awareness event here at the President House, he said if detection of the disease would not be done on time, it could lead to death and enormous financial and social problems for affected families.

Families were forced to spend their meager financial resources to treat the cancer prevalent in women, he noted.

He said now citizens get universal health coverage for fatal diseases including breast cancer.

He urged that no stigma should be attached to the disease and affected female and family members should openly talk about it and women should do regular self-examination for early detection.

The president recalled that he wrote letters to members of Parliament and asked them to help in creating awareness about this particular form of cancer.

He emphasized that awareness should not only be raised about this cancer but other deadly but preventable diseases.

If money would be spent on prevention then a lot of financial resources could be saved, the president added.

He appreciated Pakistani citizens, religious scholars and media for effectively tackling the coronavirus pandemic with different steps including social distancing and preventive measures.

The president stressed on education and health facilities for women and their economic and financial empowerment so they could play their role and change the society for better.

He also called for steps to address the issues of malnutrition and stunting and encourage breast feeding for creating a healthy society.

Social and economic stability of women helped them grow in society, he commented.

Dr Arif Alvi explained that the government was giving loans and incentives and ensuring inheritance of property for empowerment of women.

He also underlined the need to address issues like global warming and water scarcity by planting of trees and protecting the environment.

Speaking on the occasion, First Lady Begum Samina Alvi said awareness campaigns against breast cancer were being run for the last many years. Because of these efforts awareness was increasing about the disease.

"We still have a lot more to do with the cooperation of our partners including Federal and provincial government departments, non governmental organizations, hospitals, educational institutions and media." The message against breast cancer was already being spread through different media platforms and with arranging of events, she observed.

She expressed satisfaction about the increasing level of awareness about the deadly disease and said a healthy woman would create a healthy society and stable families.

She said health ministry was asked to establish a database to identify the number of people affected by breast cancer.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had allocated billions of rupees for treatment of cancer patients, she told.

Begum Samina said 100,000 new cases of breast cancer were reported every year in Pakistan and early detection was imperative for increasing chances of treatment.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said the subject of breast cancer was brought to the center stage due to the awareness campaigns.

He said the government was making efforts to strengthen the Primary care centers and provide universal health care coverage to treat cancers of different kinds including breast cancer.

Surgeon General Pakistan Army Lt General Nigar Johar called for removing personal reluctance and social taboos so women could seek treatment of breast cancer at an early stage and get their lives saved.

She asked women to commit themselves to early detection, self-examination and testing.

Earlier, the President House was illuminated with pink light to send a message of awareness about breast cancer.