Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world as World Health Organisation estimated that 84 million people would die of cancer between 2005 and 2015. Every year February 4th is observed as World Cancer Day. This year World Cancer Day theme is "Cancers can be prevented too. The main objective behind observing the day is to raise public awareness about this silent killer of million of people around the globe.
Talking to Business Recorder Dr Waseem Khawja, medical specialist, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) said that with every passing year the number of cancer patients is increasing rapidly. "Since last year there has been 5-10 percent increase in the cancer patients", he added.
He said that almost 50 percent of all cancer cases in the country are directly linked with tobacco use. Dr Khawaja said that in Pakistan lung and mouth cancer caused by the excessive use of tobacco is common among the males and breast cancer in females. "However tobacco related cancers remain a challenge for Pakistan", he lamented. To a question he said that the cancer treatment is very expensive and unaffordable in the country. A one session Chemo therapy costs Rs 80,000 to 90,000.
He said that in government hospitals Baitul Mal provides financial assistance for the needy patients. However, due to the bad condition of the government hospitals most people prefer to take their patients to the private hospital where the charges are too high. It is mainly because in the government hospitals the patients are asked to buy the medicines used in chemo therapy from outside but in private hospitals the medicines are being provided by the hospital.