HYDERABAD: Speakers at a health seminar have said that breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in Pakistan with an alarming statistics that one in every nine women is at risk during her lifetime.
They said that nearly 90,000 new cases were reported annually while approximately 40,000 women lost their lives to it, underlining urgent need for awareness, early detection and its timely treatment.
They were speaking at the breast cancer awareness programme titled “Raise for Hope, for Survival, for Strength, and for Promise of a Cure”, organised by the Institute of Gender Studies (IGS), Sindh University, on Thursday. It was aimed at highlighting significance of preventive healthcare, early diagnosis and public education in reducing breast cancer mortality rates in Pakistan.
Sindh University main campus Pro-VC Prof Dr Abdul Sattar Shah said public universities had a key role in promoting health awareness and fostering research on diseases affecting women. He said breast cancer was not just a medical issue, it was a social challenge that demanded collective responsibility from communities, healthcare institutions and policymakers.
“Early screening and timely intervention can save countless lives,” he said and commended the Institute of Gender Studies for organising an event that combined academic discussion with public health advocacy.
Lauding efforts of the organisers, Faculty of Social Sciences Dean Prof Dr Nanik Ram said awareness campaigns must reach rural and underserved areas, where myths and social taboos still prevented women from seeking timely medical help. “Breaking silence and stigma is the first step towards saving lives,” he stated, urging for gender-sensitive health policies and regular screening programmes at community levels.
Institute of Gender Studies Director Dr Ameer Ali Buriro shared alarming data on breast cancer prevalence in Pakistan.
“Breast cancer remains most common type of cancer among women in our country with one in nine women at risk during their lifetime,” he said. He added that each year, nearly 90,000 new cases were diagnosed and approximately 40,000 women died from the disease. He attributed high fatality rate to lack of awareness, delayed diagnosis, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and socio-cultural barriers.
Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2025
