The Pakistan Medical Association has expressed serious concern over a report by the World Health Organization regarding delays in breast cancer treatment in the country.
The PMA stated that a delay of 111 days in breast cancer treatment significantly increases the risk of cancer spreading, and that it takes nearly four months for treatment to begin after diagnosis.
According to the Pakistan Medical Association, the system for timely diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the country has failed. In developed countries, the survival rate for this type of cancer exceeds 85 percent, whereas in Pakistan it is less than 30 percent.
The PMA said that breast cancer screening facilities at primary healthcare centers are almost non-existent. Due to low awareness and social barriers, patients often reach hospitals late, while expensive treatment and poverty are also major obstacles to timely access to healthcare services. The current delay of 111 days is equivalent to a death sentence for thousands of women.
According to the association, there is a severe shortage of cancer medicines and radiotherapy machines in public hospitals. It called for the establishment of free breast cancer screening centers in tehsil and district hospitals, the immediate provision of radiotherapy machines and chemotherapy medicines in public hospitals, the prioritization of breast cancer screening and treatment by the government, and the immediate launch of a cancer awareness campaign.
