KARACHI:
Recently, the Supreme Court of Pakistan expressed grave concern about the high prevalence rate of breast cancer in Pakistan. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan is facing the lowest life expectancy rate in Asia, which is 67.48 years. On the other hand, our mortality rate is skyrocketing and the main cause for this is breast cancer among women. It accounts for 40,000 deaths along with a diagnosis of 90,000 new cases per year.
Breast cancer is curable if diagnosed at an early stage and can be easily detected by routine examinations. Yet one out of nine women in Pakistan is suffering from this disease. This is because of a lack of awareness and stigma related to diseases associated with women. Women are often unaware of the need for regular examinations and hesitant to get themselves examined.
Given the high prevalence of the disease, it is imperative that women are informed of breast cancer and prevention methods. Hospitals should collect data on the disease and the successes of treatments, which should be utilised in campaigns to raise awareness. Women should be encouraged to examine themselves whenever they detect any changes in their bodies. There is an urgent need to destigmatise breast cancer because it has already risked the lives of many women. All relevant authorities and medical practitioners must come together to limit the spread and prevalence of breast cancer. An early diagnosis and effective treatment will also lift the burden of the medical system that is already under considerable strain due to several diseases.
Neelam Yasir
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2021.
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