ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday called for prevention and early diagnosis of life-threatening diseases like breast cancer and water borne ailments to enable people to live longer and healthy lives.
Addressing virtually at an awareness programme organized by Siemens Healthineers, the president highlighted the need for improvements in the sectors of health and education in Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan, despite the limited resources of a developing nation, should give priority to health and education of the citizens.
He said preventive steps and widespread awareness was necessary to prepare people against the life-threatening ailments.
The president said that Pakistan had an experience of effectively tackling the Covid-19 pandemic as compared to the neighboring nations where the death ratio was higher.
Spreading of awareness among people was necessary to keep the pandemic under control, he said, adding people followed the government advice to wear masks, keep distance and take preventive steps, helping the country to overcome the challenge.
President urges people to ensure cleanliness
The President Alvi urged public to ensure cleanliness to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
He said that the religious scholars could play a good role by teaching the importance of hygiene through their sermons in mosques.
He lauded the efforts of the first lady Begum Samina Alvi in raising awareness about the risks posted by breast cancer to the women health.
While citing causes for late diagnosis of breast cancer in women in the country, he said women were hesitant to share information about any unusual symptoms which was the leading cause of delay in diagnosing of breast cancer.
He added that those who go for early screening, their survival chance from breast cancer was 99% and women should conduct tests when they feel a lump in their chests.
