KARACHI, Aug 7: Efforts would be made for the establishment of oncology units at all the major public hospitals in Sindh, said Dr Ishratul Ibad at an oncology seminar organized by the Dow University of Health Sciences on Saturday.

The governor praised the establishment of an oncology unit at the Civil Hospital Karachi, which was the first such facility in the healthcare centres controlled by the provincial government. He also lauded the efforts of philanthropists and donors who had worked towards the establishment of the unit, highlighting the importance of public-private partnership.

The governor announced that efforts would be made to replicate the project in the other healthcare centres in the Sindh government's control. He also announced a grant of Rs1 million for the oncology unit of the CHK.

Talking briefly about her personal fight against cancer, famous playwright Fatima Surayya Bajia said a person who believed that he or she had to return to God one day did not fear any disease. Pakistan was a fortunate country as its people were better than most.

She said if she was asked to, she could go to the nearest roundabout with all her family members and collect donations for a cancer hospital. "And by evening I may raise a sum of Rs30 million."

Ashique H. Memon, the health secretary, said the oncology unit at the CHK represented a good example of an effective partnership between private- and public-sector institutions. He also underscored the need to build oncology units at the other government hospitals.

Dr Suresh Kumar and Dr Noor Mohammad Soomro also spoke on the occasion. Mementos were also given away by the governor to several people who had worked either for the setting up of the oncology unit or for holding the event, including Saleem Moosani, Iqbal Lakhani, Dr Nawaz Sheikh, Dr Amjad Memon, Prof Manzoor Zaidi and Prof Abrar A. Javed.

Earlier, in his presentation during a technical session of the seminar Dr Tahir Shamsi said Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma was the second most common tumour in the northern parts of the country. Treatment with Rituximab had become important in considerable number of malignancies.

Dr Shakeeb Yunus pointed out that good nursing, good blood bank practices and efficient intensive care units were essential if the outcomes were to be improved in the country. He was of the view that even though no definitive cure for cancer was available yet, standard strategies did make a difference.

Prof Nusrat H. Khan said advanced ovarian cancer caused most deaths among gynaecological complications. "Maximal cyto-reductive surgery (debulking) correlates with improved survival and morbidity and mortality is minimal in experienced surgeons."

Dr Naila Zahid and Dr Nadeem Zia Abbasi also spoke.