Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia and more than 30,000 women report every year to just one major tertiary-care hospital, specialising in cancer treatment. Dr Shazia Munir, Vice Chairman of National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony (NPCIH), said this while speaking at a 'Doctor's Presentation' organised by NPCIH here on Tuesday.
NPICH has launched a drive to create awareness about breast cancer in the country. Dr Shazia said that Pakistani women were particularly more vulnerable to the disease of breast cancer because of dismal literacy rate. "In the 21st century, Pakistani women were falling victim to cancer in younger ages as compared to a few decades ago," she added.
"When I was a student, we came across breast cancer among middle-aged women but today even girls in their 20s and 30s are getting afflicted with this ailment." The speakers underscored the need for mass awareness about breast cancer which, according to the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association, represents the most common and deadliest disease afflicting women. In Pakistan, every ninth woman had this type of cancer. The social customs and taboos make it quite difficult for the rural women to come forward and disclose their condition to healthcare professionals, said Dr Shazia.
"This is one reason why the cases are not detected in early stages." She also highlighted relevance of regular exercise and diet at the onset of the disease as generally obese women of above 40 years were found to be at a higher risk of the cancer. Women, who might have borne children at later age or those who might be avoiding breast-feeding to their babies also risk getting that cancer, she added.
On the occasion, Dr Shazia Munir informed that she would train some 200,000 Lady Health Visitors who could create awareness at the grassroots level. Referring to the campaign being launched across the country, she said it comprises four components, including awareness of dangerously high level of incidence of the disease; awareness that it is curable; awareness that it could be detected at early stages even by simple self-examination; and life after cancer is worth living.
She said treatment of cancer was confined to a few major cities of the country. There was a need to create awareness in the rural areas of the country because a majority of the Pakistani women lived there. The people of the rural areas often had to travel more than 300 miles to get to a good healthcare centre, she added. And only five percent of the Pakistanis had insured themselves against health problems.
Earlier, Willaiam Inayat Co-ordinator of NPCIH, who is also President of Pakistan Miorties Alliance (PMA) in his speech said that the present government, in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was taking steps to bring the minorities into mainstream and to ensure provision of equal rights to them.
He said Islam teaches peace, tolerance and promotes harmony among religions. Speakers at the convention appreciated the efforts of the PPP-led government for fighting extremism and terrorism through strengthening of the institutions for interfaith harmony. On the occasion, KB Bangish, Taluka Nazim New Sukkur Abdul Haq Chohan, Dr Huma Jamshaid, Co-ordinator of the Human Development Society (HDS) Dr Naila Bhutto and others also spoke.