Speaking at a breast cancer awareness session at the Memon Medical Institute in Karachi, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal highlighted a stark reality. He stated that approximately 150,000 women in Pakistan lose their lives to breast cancer annually, emphasizing that most of these precious lives could be saved with timely diagnosis and treatment.
Addressing the root of the tragedy, the Health Minister said, “Women do not talk about this disease due to shame and fear,” which he identified as the single biggest obstacle to early treatment. He urged the men in society to step forward and play their part in encouraging the women in their families to get screened for breast cancer.
Mustafa Kamal offered a powerful critique of the nation’s health system, stating it is not “health care” but has become a “sick care” system, focused only on treating patients rather than preventing disease. He described the immense burden on doctors, who are forced to see up to 250 patients when the average should be 34, making patient satisfaction impossible.
He pointed to deeper systemic failures, noting that 70% of diseases in the country are caused by contaminated drinking water.
The minister also lamented the prevalence of conspiracy theories against vaccines. He contrasted the global expectation that cancer vaccines will significantly reduce deaths in the next decade with Pakistan’s reality, where debates over the cervical cancer vaccine being “halal or haram” persist. This delay and debate, he noted, cost the lives of 25,000 Pakistani women annually.
Gynecologists at the event advised women to ensure they get an annual mammogram after the age of 40 and to immediately consult a doctor if they notice any unusual changes, setting aside fear or shame.
