Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world as one out of nine female in the country is at risk of the disease and it kills 40,000 women every year.
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This was said by speakers at a seminar on ‘breast cancer’ arranged by Office of Senior Tutor, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), in collaboration with Institute of Rural Home Economics, UAF and Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital here on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said, “Breast cancer is the most common fatal disease as it kills nearly 40,000 women every year and its rates are getting worse.” He was of the view that women in the developing countries like Pakistan die at greater rate that the rate of developed countries, due to the non-detection of disease at its advance stages. “In our society, women avoid to go to the hospital for screenings and checkup or discuss the cancer even within their family,” he said adding the steps are needed to end this taboo from the society.
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Renowned singer and Pink Ribbon Ambassador Hadiqa Kiyani said that the illiteracy, social taboos and the myths are the great hindrance in early detection of the cancer disease, which impedes diagnosis and treatment. She urged the participants to self-examine and arrange a checkup every year to avoid the risk. Dean Faculty of Food Sciences Prof Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said that if cancer was detected at early stages, chances of survival increases manifold. UAF Senior Tutor Prof Dr Ather Javed, Director Institute of Rural Home Economics Dr. Naheed Abbas, Dr Rubina Tabassum and Rafshan Sadiq from PINUM Cancer Hospital also spoke on the occasion. –APP
