ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Thursday visited the Rural Health Centre in Sihala to observe medical facilities and treatment being provided to people.

Secretary Ministry of National Health Service Amir Ashraf Khuwaja was also present. Dr Sultan said that he has decided to visit all basic health units of the federal capital to see if necessary facilities are being provided to people.

A large number of people pay charges of transportation and waste their time to get treatment for minor diseases from tertiary care hospitals, he said, adding: “We have decided to upgrade basic health units and provide human resource so that people would get treatment at their doorsteps. Moreover, it will reduce burden on the tertiary care hospitals.”

Dr Sultan said it was the right of people to get medical facilities free of cost and reiterated that in Islamabad all health facilities will be brought under one umbrella and the primary healthcare system will be strengthened.

Meanwhile, in order to support the pink ribbon campaign for breast cancer awareness, Ambassador of United Arab Emirates Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salim Al Zaabi said that timely detection helps in protection from breast cancer.

He said this during a visit to the Islamabad Diagnostic Centre (IDC).

“Pakistan has the highest incidence of breast cancer cases in Asia and such initiatives can help raise awareness about this widespread disease so appropriate measures for prevention from the disease can be taken,” he added.

Mr Al Zaabi expressed his solidarity towards raising awareness about timely detection and protection from breast cancer.

Dr Rizwan Uppal, chief executive officer of IDC said: “The only ray of hope for curing breast cancer lies in early detection”.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2021