Proper attentive measures are needed in country to curb cancer especially among the children. Apart from this proper awareness programs is needed for dissemination of information to avoid deaths of thousands of children, suffering from childhood cancer, renowned paediatric oncologist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Children Cancer Hospital (CCH), Karachi, Dr Muhammad Shamvil Ashraf told a press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday.
Cancer can be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment, which is only possible through dissemination of information about causes, symptoms, preventive measures and available treatment of cancer in Pakistan.
Loss of weight among children with fever, headache, getting yellowish in colour, appearance of tumours in the body, and prolonged swelling that is resistant to medicines are some of the early signs and warnings of cancers among children, he added.
"Started in 2001 with 6 in-patient beds, the Children Cancer Hospital has now grown into a full-fledged specialised healthcare facility for the treatment of various types of cancer among children.
We are a philanthropic health facility and we don't charge a single penny from parents who can't afford treatment at a few private hospitals that offer cancer treatment to children. This is resulting in an overwhelming burden of children on CCH as we don't have enough resources to treat all of them," Dr Ashraf, who is the CEO of CCH, said.
Another paediatric Oncologist Syed Ahmar Hamid and Trustee of Children Cancer Foundation (CCF) Atiqur Rahman were also present on the occasion. Dr Shamvil Ashraf said lungs, throat cancers among males, breast cancers among females and oral cancers among both the genders were very common in Pakistan.
He said the press conference was aimed at creating awareness about prevalence of cancer among Pakistanis, especially in children and highlighting their activities for the awareness of common people and general physicians on the eve of World Cancer Day, being observed 4th of February every year.
Speaking about World Cancer Day, he said Children Cancer Hospital would be holding "Public Awareness Programmes" on February 4, 2012, a children activity on February 15 on the eve of International Children Cancer Day and Continued Medical Education (CME) for doctors on February 09 at CCH located at Ayesha Manzil Karachi.
"In 2011 alone, CCH spent over Rs96 million for the treatment of children suffering from cancer and over 80 percent of patients were treated free of cost.
At CCH, 18020 children suffering from cancers of various types were provided OPD treatment while 7762 patients were admitted and given quality treatment in 2011 alone," he informed.
The arrival of new patients at CCH has doubled in last five years as children with cancer symptoms not only from entire Pakistan but also from Afghanistan and Iran are coming to the facility for quality care and treatment. Even the patients visiting OPD has almost doubled to 13,129 from 7,967 in 2005-06, Dr Shamvil Ashraf added.
Comments
Comments are closed.