20:18
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LAHORE: Medical and health experts at a seminar on Friday stressed regular medical checkup and early diagnosis of cancer as it was curable and its treatment at an early stage was not expensive.
They suggested regular exercise and walk and use of fresh vegetables to cut the risk of cancer by 20 percent. They also spoke against smoking, saying 90 percent cases of lung cancer were because of smoking.
The public health awareness seminar, organised by the Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers), Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre and Ferozsons Laboratories at a hotel, was attended by a large of people from different walks of life.
Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Adviser to Chief Minister, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, were the chief guests while Cancer Research & Treatment Foundation’s President Prof Dr Shaharyar and other experts spoke.
Prof Dr Shaharyar, a quoting a world cancer report, said that every year there were 10 million cancer patients and in 2020 there would be 8 million deaths owing to cancer out of which 80 percent would be in developing countries. He said a phenomenal increase in the use of tobacco was being witnessed in third world countries.
While quoting national cancer database, Dr Shaharyar said there were 300,000 new cancer patients in Pakistan annually while there were only 140 doctors available in the country and only 10 trained nurses. He said out of the new patients 162,000 were from Punjab where only 50 doctors were available. He added 700 doctors and 750 nurses were required for treatment of the patients in the province.
Dr Shaharyar also claimed that 60 percent of these patients were being treated in public sector hospitals of Punjab including Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Nishtar Hospital Multan and Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan.
He said a cancer care hospital and research centre would be established in Lahore where besides best facilities and trained manpower a palliative unit would also be established. He said it was unfortunate that no hospital had a palliative unit. Dr Shaharyar also highlighted the importance of changing lifestyle, use of vegetables and walk and exercise to reduce the risk of cancer.
Khawaja Salman Rafiq said the Punjab government would extend all possible support for the establishment of the proposed hospital. He said a successful fight against dengue this year was only possible through collective efforts and active participation of people. He said privileged class should come forward and extend support for projects of public welfare.
Dr Sohail Mansoor from Ferozsons Laboratories said the increase in cancer patients in Pakistan could also be gauged by the fact that last year medicines worth Rs 4.2 billion were bought by cancer patients in Pakistan. He talked about the role of the pharmaceutical industry and briefed the participants about the laboratories.
Dr Riazur Rahman, senior consultant from the Oncology Department of Jinnah Hospital, said cancer was the second most common cause of death in underdeveloped countries, adding 80 to 90 percent cases were in stage 3 and 4 for which treatment was expensive and still not totally curable.
He talked in detail about palliative care and shared his experience of working in Malaysia. He said a palliative unit should be set up in every hospital, adding that palliative was a specialty. He also talked about counseling of family members of cancer patients and volunteer support to provide maximum comfort to cancer patients who had undergone treatment.
Prof Dr Shaheena Asif, who is head of Gynecology Department at Lahore Medical & Dental College (LMDC), said an early diagnosis could save a life, adding however illiteracy, social taboos and lack of facilities were challenges. She said cancer care should be centralised.
LMDC Principal Prof Dr Abdul Majeed said illiteracy was a big challenge vis-à-vis awareness about cancer. Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said the cancer care hospital was the need of Lahore and Punjab, adding the Punjab government would provide all possible support for the project. She said she herself was a cancer survivor and was aware of the plight of the patients.
Maj Gen (r) Amin Waqar, Director Nuclear Medicine Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Farhat Perveen also spoke.
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS) Chairman Wasif Nagi hosted the seminar and said there was shortage of doctors and facilities for cancer patients in the country. He added the concept of a cancer care hospital and research centre in the situation was a great idea and needed support from everyone.
They suggested regular exercise and walk and use of fresh vegetables to cut the risk of cancer by 20 percent. They also spoke against smoking, saying 90 percent cases of lung cancer were because of smoking.
The public health awareness seminar, organised by the Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers), Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre and Ferozsons Laboratories at a hotel, was attended by a large of people from different walks of life.
Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Adviser to Chief Minister, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, were the chief guests while Cancer Research & Treatment Foundation’s President Prof Dr Shaharyar and other experts spoke.
Prof Dr Shaharyar, a quoting a world cancer report, said that every year there were 10 million cancer patients and in 2020 there would be 8 million deaths owing to cancer out of which 80 percent would be in developing countries. He said a phenomenal increase in the use of tobacco was being witnessed in third world countries.
While quoting national cancer database, Dr Shaharyar said there were 300,000 new cancer patients in Pakistan annually while there were only 140 doctors available in the country and only 10 trained nurses. He said out of the new patients 162,000 were from Punjab where only 50 doctors were available. He added 700 doctors and 750 nurses were required for treatment of the patients in the province.
Dr Shaharyar also claimed that 60 percent of these patients were being treated in public sector hospitals of Punjab including Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Nishtar Hospital Multan and Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan.
He said a cancer care hospital and research centre would be established in Lahore where besides best facilities and trained manpower a palliative unit would also be established. He said it was unfortunate that no hospital had a palliative unit. Dr Shaharyar also highlighted the importance of changing lifestyle, use of vegetables and walk and exercise to reduce the risk of cancer.
Khawaja Salman Rafiq said the Punjab government would extend all possible support for the establishment of the proposed hospital. He said a successful fight against dengue this year was only possible through collective efforts and active participation of people. He said privileged class should come forward and extend support for projects of public welfare.
Dr Sohail Mansoor from Ferozsons Laboratories said the increase in cancer patients in Pakistan could also be gauged by the fact that last year medicines worth Rs 4.2 billion were bought by cancer patients in Pakistan. He talked about the role of the pharmaceutical industry and briefed the participants about the laboratories.
Dr Riazur Rahman, senior consultant from the Oncology Department of Jinnah Hospital, said cancer was the second most common cause of death in underdeveloped countries, adding 80 to 90 percent cases were in stage 3 and 4 for which treatment was expensive and still not totally curable.
He talked in detail about palliative care and shared his experience of working in Malaysia. He said a palliative unit should be set up in every hospital, adding that palliative was a specialty. He also talked about counseling of family members of cancer patients and volunteer support to provide maximum comfort to cancer patients who had undergone treatment.
Prof Dr Shaheena Asif, who is head of Gynecology Department at Lahore Medical & Dental College (LMDC), said an early diagnosis could save a life, adding however illiteracy, social taboos and lack of facilities were challenges. She said cancer care should be centralised.
LMDC Principal Prof Dr Abdul Majeed said illiteracy was a big challenge vis-à-vis awareness about cancer. Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said the cancer care hospital was the need of Lahore and Punjab, adding the Punjab government would provide all possible support for the project. She said she herself was a cancer survivor and was aware of the plight of the patients.
Maj Gen (r) Amin Waqar, Director Nuclear Medicine Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Farhat Perveen also spoke.
Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS) Chairman Wasif Nagi hosted the seminar and said there was shortage of doctors and facilities for cancer patients in the country. He added the concept of a cancer care hospital and research centre in the situation was a great idea and needed support from everyone.
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