ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Dr. Arif Alvi on Thursday said that breast cancer diagnosis has the potential to avert 35,000 annual deaths. He revealed that over 100,000 women in the country are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, with a tragic 35,000 losing their lives due to late-stage detection.
The President stressed the significant difference in survival rates between stage 1 and stages 3 and 4 of breast cancer. In a conversation with print and electronic media journalists at Aiwan-e-Sadr, both the President and his wife, Samina Alvi, highlighted the importance of breaking societal taboos surrounding breast cancer and emphasized the media’s role in raising awareness among the public.
President Alvi advocated a preventative approach, acknowledging the government’s limitations in covering the high costs of medical treatments, including scans and oncology procedures for breast cancer. He called for increased awareness about conducting monthly self-examinations for early detection and immediate medical attention if any abnormalities are found.
President Alvi mentioned that, at his suggestion, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority relayed 120 million call-waiting messages about breast cancer last year. He urged journalists to join the cause by covering breast cancer topics in their articles and television programs.
Persistent Efforts to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness
The President highlighted that he and Samina Alvi have been consistently raising awareness about breast cancer for the past five years from the Presidential platform. He stressed the importance of continuity in health and education policies across different governments to ensure a healthy and balanced society.
Furthermore, President Alvi emphasized the need for short-duration health courses to produce a larger number of healthcare workers to meet the population’s demands.
Begum Samina Alvi commended the media for effectively addressing breast cancer issues in their television programs and newspapers. She urged that the campaign should not be limited to October but should continue throughout the year. She also emphasized the importance of sensitizing male family members to the challenges of the disease and encouraging them to support women in seeking proper medical care.
The session also underscored the significance of raising awareness about other health issues, including mental health. President Alvi noted that 24 percent of the country’s population faces mental health issues, while there are only 550 psychiatrists and 1,200 psychologists available to help them.
