In order to utilise atomic energy for bringing relief to patients, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is establishing nine more cancer hospitals in various parts of the country.
This was announced by Chairman PAEC Parvez Butt while speaking at formal inaugural ceremony of 'Third International Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Conference' and 'First International Conference on Paediatric Oncology' held here at local hotel on Friday night.
He said that these cancer hospitals would be established in various parts of the country including Gulgit, Gujranwala, Bannu, Swat, Nawabshah, D.I. Khan, D.G. Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Mirpur Khas and two cancer hospitals in Azad Kashmir, while cancer centre at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) will also be renovated and facilities to be improved there.
He said 13 cancer hospitals were already functioning under PAEC and new hospitals were being established nearest to population, so that the patients could approach hospitals in minimum time.
He expressed his concern on recent terrorist activities in London and on situation in Iraq saying such incidences really needed to be thought into. "We have to play our role to prevent such activities. We as a nation are using atomic energy for peace and alleviating poverty, as without it we cannot ensure peace in country and world. We are giving relief to people by establishing health facilities and creating job opportunities. Now we have changed our policy and new posts will be filled locally, as we are also construing housing units attached to our hospitals," he added.
Pervez Butt said in recent years demand for setting up more cancer facilities had been increased tremendously, many provinces and Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir had also requested PAEC to establish cancer hospitals in their respective areas. "We will provide check-up facility of breast at all our cancer hospitals beside deputing mobile teams, which will directly approach females for getting them checked for breast cancer," he told.
He announced to establish a separate directorate to take cares the affairs of all nuclear medical centres in the country. "Nuclear medicine is alive in Pakistan and diagnosis and treatment facilities for cancer patients are being provided in the country. In our Peshawar and Quetta centres, most patients come from Afghanistan. Now law and order situation in country has improved and foreigners are coming again," he maintained.
He appreciated efforts of doctors in organising this conference and also lauded formation of Pakistan Society of Paediatric Oncology.
Member Biosciences PAEC Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik, Director Kiran Dr Shahid Kamal, Dr Shamvil Ashraf, Dr Aziza Shad and Dr Perveen Zaidi also spoke at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, on second day of conference on Saturday, eight sessions were held on Paediatrics & Adolescent Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. Around 30 local and foreign experts gave their presentations on the topics.
Dr Altaf Ahmed of Liaquat National Hospital Karachi discussing problem of antibiotic resistance in a developing country stressed increasing prevalence of highly resistant nosocomial pathogens in Pakistan, which need urgent and comprehensive attention, as high prevalence of nosocomial infection showed lack of infection control policy in many hospitals.
Dr Afia Zafar of Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi gave presentation on "Role of infection control team in oncology units." She said infection was one of the major complications to which patients in the oncology unit are exposed. "Patients admitted to the oncology unit are likely to have poor resistance to infections and this is largely due to the immuno-suppressive effect of chemo-therapeutic agents, ionising radiation, surgery and possibly primary illness. A very effective infection control team is an important part of hospital management as it provides special care to patients admitted to the oncology unit," she emphasised.
"Unfortunately, in Pakistan a poorly funded health system produces compromised healthcare workers with inadequate knowledge and insufficient awareness of infection control, thus oncology units are facing challenges. They are also facing additional problems that include a high turnover of employees, shortage of trained staff, lack of funds, inappropriate ventilation of rooms in the health care facility, poor hygienic conditions at patients' homes and more cases of infections with multi-resistant organisms which result in an adverse outcome," she lamented.
Dr Afia Zafar said, "Since various centres in the country are managing cancer patients, it is strongly recommended that all hospitals managing cancer patients must have a formal infection control committee (ICC) and an active infection control team (ICT).
Dr Mary Taj of UK gave an introduction of adolescent cancer and said it was generally accepted as cancer occurring in the 15-19 year age group, while survival of these patients were less than in children under 15. "The most common types are leukaemia, lymphomas, sarcomas, germ cell and brain tumours. Adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer need additional psychological support because they are already dealing with issues of pressure, social development, sexual maturation, fertility and employment. Self-image is very important to the teenager and weight gain, alopecia, acne, stunted growth and mutilating surgery to the face and extremities can have devastating consequences," he added.
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