HYDERABAD, Feb 4: A large number of doctors and students took part in a walk at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro on Monday to mark World Cancer Day and create awareness about the killer disease.

The walk organised by the Cancer Patients Welfare Society of Nuclear Institute of Medicine and Radiotherapy in collaboration with the LUMHS was attended by LUMHS director of academics Prof Shafi Mohammad Jatoi and registrar Mohammad Saleh Rajar, deans, members of faculty, students and members of the general public.

Dr Naeem Ahmed Leghari, director of NIMRA, informed the participants how risk of developing cancer could be significantly reduced through simple measures by changing ones’ lifestyle.

He said that currently 7.6 million people died of cancer worldwide every year out of which 4 million died prematurely (aged 30 to 69 years). He urged urgent action to raise awareness about the disease and develop practical strategies to address cancer, which was projected to cause 6 million premature deaths per year by 2025.

“About 30 per cent of cancer can be prevented through screening and by adopting healthy lifestyle. Our aim is to help you understand how you can take steps to prevent cancer and live a long healthy life,” he said.