Business community for setting up a National Cancer Registry to prevent disease

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Thursday urged the government to set up a National Cancer Registry and focus on formulation of national cancer prevention policy to cope with all types of cancers effectively.

Speaking at an awareness seminar on breast cancer organized by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with Pink Ribbon Pakistan to mark the World Cancer Day, ICCI head urged the need for creating awareness among women.

The First Lady of Pakistan Begum Samina Alvi was the chief guest of the event, said a press release.

Fatma Azim Senior Vice President, Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Mian Akram Farid Chairman Founder Group, Omar Aftab Khan CEO Pink Ribbon Pakistan, wives of naval officers, wives of former Presidents ICCI and a large number of females from various walks of lives attended the event.

Yasir Ilyas Khan, President said that women were over half of the total population and educating them about techniques to remain safe from breast cancer was important to exploit their full potential for the economic development of the country.

He said that most of the women in Pakistan were homemakers and they should adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid diabetes, obesity and other issues that were giving rise to breast cancer.

He urged that the government to provide cycling and jogging tracks in parks for promoting healthy lifestyle in people.

He assured that ICCI would cooperate in arranging ramps in markets and parks for differently disabled persons.

He also thanked Pink Ribbon Pakistan for organizing a seminar on an important issue of the society. Speaking on the occasion Omar Aftab Khan, CEO Pink Ribbon Pakistan said that 3 lac cases of breast cancer were reported every year in Pakistan with 115,000 deaths per year.

He urged the government to abolish 30 percent customs duty on the import of screening equipment along with removing taxes on chemo drugs to reduce cost of treatment of this fatal disease.

He said that some molecules of breast cancer were not available in Pakistan and urged the government for allowing their import.

He further urged that food ingredients that were causing cancer should be banned in Pakistan as was done by many countries.

Dr. Uzma Qasim, Oncologist of Shifa International Hospital Islamabad gave a detailed presentation on the causes of breast cancer and its preventive measures.

She said balanced food intake, healthy lifestyle and mindfulness were significant factors in prevention of breast cancer.