‘Breast cancer mortality rate higher in Pakistan due to lack of awareness’

Begum Samina Arif Alvi, First Lady and wife of President Dr Arif Alvi, said on Thursday the women should take special care of their health as the prosperity of a society depended on healthy mothers, according to a report that appeared on the APP website.

A majority of the women in Pakistan had a little knowledge about diseases and that was why the death ratio due to the breast cancer was higher in the country than in other states, she said while speaking as chief guest at a breast cancer awareness event organised by the Kiran Foundation.

Begum Samina Alvi said the breast cancer disease was curable if it was diagnosed at an earlier stage. She emphasized the importance of self-examination, which was the most important factor in the prevention of the deadly disease.

The First Lady said breast cancer awareness campaigns must not be limited to the month of October. She urged the participants to keep creating awareness about the disease so as to save the maximum number of lives.

She noted that there was no hesitation among the women of urban areas to openly discuss breast cancer matters, while their counterparts in villages were still hesitant due to the stigma attached to

the disease.

She thanked the media for airing messages to sensitise the masses about breast cancer. Special programmes were held particularly in morning shows on TV channels, while articles were published in newspapers about the deadly disease, she added. She also appreciated the civil society, the armed forces and healthcare facilities for their cooperation in the breast cancer awareness drive.

A breast cancer awareness call centre, she said, had also been established for the assistance of women. The First Lady praised Kiran Foundation Chairperson Sabina Khatri for her efforts for creating awareness about breast cancer. Besides students, their mothers were also being trained at the Kiran Foundation School, she added.

In her speech, Sabina Khatri lauded Begum Arif Alvi for her efforts to make the women aware about the deadly disease. She advised the girl students to adopt the habit of self-examination as breast cancer was curable if diagnosed timely.

A breast cancer survivor said positive thinking could help overcome any kind of problem. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around seven years ago, but she did not get scared, fought it courageously and today she is fine and healthy.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Samia said the breast cancer awareness campaign launched by the First Lady two years back had started to yield results, as more cases were now being reported.

Breast cancer was a curable disease if diagnosed timely and women must not hesitate to discuss its symptoms, she added. Dr Samia also informed the participants about self-examination and symptoms of breast cancer in detail. Later, Sabina Khatri presented a souvenir to First Lady Begum Samina Arif Alvi. Students, their mothers and teachers attended the event.