Nich report: Cancer in children on the rise

KARACHI:

A report by the National Institute of Child Health said that there has been a 10 per cent increase in cancer cases reported at the hospital, in children, since 2010.

According to a report by Child Association, 357 cases of cancer were reported in children in NICH in the current year. The ages of the children were between one month and 14 years. Out of them, 190 children were from rural Sindh, 147 were from Karachi, 14 from Balochistan and six were from other areas in the country. The cases included, blood cancer, glands, eye cancer, tissue cancer, and kidney cancer among others.

Prof. Nizamul Hasan said that the every year more than 170 children undergo chemotherapy and and abur 40 children are admitted. But the cancer ward has only 14 beds. The report mentioned that the children are often brought in when their condition has grown worse due to which many lose their lives.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd,  2011.