The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pink Ribbon signed a memorandum of understanding with Pink Ribbon Pakistan, on Tuesday, for a breast cancer awareness campaign to be initiated in the educational institutions of the country.
HEC Chairman, Dr Javaid R Laghari was the chief guest on the occasion while Pink Ribbon Pakistan Chairperson Fariba Shiraz Thomson was the guest of honour. HEC Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi and Pink Ribbon Pakistan National Coordinator Omar Aftab signed the agreement.
The MOU was the follow-up of a meeting held in August this year, during which it was decided that the HEC would put together a task force for the advocacy campaign of Pink Ribbon. Fatima Jinnah Women University Vice-Chancellor Dr Samina Amin Qadir was nominated as the focal person for the campaign. It was also decided that two focal people will be nominated, from the universities of each province, to coordinate with the vice-chancellors and steering committee members of the Pink Ribbon Awareness Campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Laghari stressed the seriousness of the disease. He said: “There are 1.5 million higher education students across the country who can play an important role in spreading awareness about the disease.”
“According to a recent report, 50 per cent of our population lives below the poverty line. This situation needs more focused and passionate effort to reach the grassroots level,” he said.
Dr Sohail Naqvi said: “We will use all our considerable resources for success of this campaign. Extra efforts will be made for conducting meaningful research in this area. We must understand that this is a problem which is very close to our own homes and it needs to be dealt with in a concerted and consistent manner.” Fariba Shiraz Thomson thanked the Higher Education Commission for acknowledging the significance of the issue and joining hands with Pink Ribbon for spreading awareness throughout the country’s universities.
