Health Minister Mustafa Kamal says most deaths are preventable through timely diagnosis, urging nationwide awareness and regular screening.
KARACHI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Oct,25, 2025) Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal revealed that nearly 150,000 women in Pakistan die every year due to breast cancer — deaths that could be prevented through timely diagnosis and treatment.
Speaking at a breast cancer awareness session at Memon Medical Institute Karachi, the minister said women’s hesitation and fear of discussing the disease remain major barriers to early detection. He emphasized the need for a nationwide awareness campaign and urged men to encourage the women in their families to undergo screening.
Kamal noted that while PIMS Hospital in Islamabad has a complete diagnostic system, the country’s overall healthcare structure remains weak. “A doctor should ideally examine 35 to 40 patients a day, but in Pakistan, many are forced to see up to 250,” he said, adding that the system focuses more on treatment than prevention — calling it a ‘sick care’ system rather than healthcare.
He highlighted that 70% of diseases stem from contaminated water, particularly in areas of Gilgit-Baltistan where the lack of treatment plants and sewer systems poses serious health risks.
The minister also expressed concern over misinformation surrounding vaccines, noting that while countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia routinely use the cervical cancer vaccine, Pakistan still faces debates labeling it as “haram.” He said this delay contributes to 25,000 preventable deaths of women annually.
Health experts at the event urged women to perform self-examinations after every menstrual cycle and undergo annual mammograms after age 40 for early detection and prevention.
