Addressing the launching ceremony of the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign 2022 that was held in Islamabad on Monday, the President said early diagnosis of breast cancer and proper treatment can help increase the chances of survival among women.
Dr. Arif Alvi underlined that breast cancer could be detected at the early stages by inculcating among women the habit of self-examination of their breasts, saying that being an underdeveloped country, Pakistan lacks in resources and is under-equipped to provide mammography and screening facilities to its entire women population. The President added that the chances of cure at early stages were as high as 98%.
In this regard, President Dr. Arif Alvi emphasized that media should play its vital role to create awareness about women’s health issues in Pakistan. He said these targets can be achieved through media products and strategic messaging during daily talk shows, dramas and movies. The President said that social media platforms and digital space including mass messaging applications, and digital media can be the most effective tools for these campaigns. He appreciated the PTA and other telecom companies for spreading awareness about breast cancer in Pakistan.
First Lady, Begum Samina Arif Alvi was also present in the ceremony. In her address, she highlighted that her four-year sustained and continuous efforts were yielding results and even rural women were also becoming aware of the fatality of breast cancer.
The First Lady also urged the need to provide moral support to women for this purpose. She called for establishing support groups for breast cancer patients and survivors, urging women to not ignore their health as their families and the entire nation depended upon them.
