President for collaborative efforts to raise awareness about breast cancer

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday called for collaborative efforts by public and private sectors to create awareness about breast cancer, especially during October, besides providing support to those affected by the disease.

The president made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Siemens Healthineers in Pakistan.

Siemens CEO Khurram Jameel and First Lady Begum Samina Alvi attended the meeting virtually.

The president said that media and other relevant stakeholders should join hands in the breast cancer awareness campaign and encourage women to engage in regular self-examinations and seek timely medical guidance for the early diagnosis of this life-threatening ailment, the official news agency reported.

During the meeting, President Alvi highlighted the potential of digital technologies in addressing healthcare challenges, particularly in enhancing awareness, improving healthcare accessibility, and raising the quality of care while minimising costs.

He underscored the importance of early screenings, self-examinations, and improved medical services.

Moreover, the president also underlined the pivotal role that private sector partners could play in raising awareness through media campaigns, standee displays in hospitals and public areas, distribution of pamphlets, and organising educational workshops and seminars in women’s educational institutions.

He also called for organising breast cancer awareness events during October.

President Alvi also commended the role of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and telecom companies, who have initiated a call-caution tone from October 1 on the advice of the Presidency urging women to conduct self-examinations and seek medical advice if they notice any unusual growth.

He said that spreading the message of self-examination for early breast cancer detection should not be regarded as taboo.

He called upon media houses to broadcast/telecast messages regarding the significance of self-examination during their morning shows and talk shows, as well as in public service announcements to create awareness about the disease.

He emphasised that increased awareness could lead to significant cost savings, given the expenses associated with treatment at the later stages of breast cancer.

The Siemens Healthineers CEO pledged his company’s support for the breast cancer campaign during the meeting.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that Pakistan had one of the highest mortality rates due to breast cancer in Asia, with approximately 90,000 cases diagnosed annually.

Early detection and proper treatment could potentially save numerous lives, as over 90 percent of the breast cancer cases could be successfully treated, if detected at an early stage.