The federal capital will have a first state-of-the-art Breast Cancer Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) by the year 2017 to deal with alarmingly increasing number of breast cancer patients in the country.
One out of eight women in Pakistan is affected with breast cancer, and of the 90,000 cases diagnosed there are 40,000 deaths every year, said Dr. Ayesha Isani Majeed Deputy Project Director/ Associate Professor of Radiology/Additional Director (M) during her briefing to journalists on the project.
She said that a two-storey building first of its kind on a plot measuring 7,000 square feet will be completed at the cost of Rs58 million, which will feature a diagnostic centre, and ultrasound, radiology and mammography facilities.
It will be the first ever breast cancer centre in the country, where treatment of all kinds of cancers would be provided under one roof, she said, adding that machinery worth Rs75 million has already been purchased for the breast cancer centre.
She said that a dedicated breast cancer building was the answer to the cultural, financial, mental and physical needs of the women of Pakistan, vowing that it would be made a role model to be replicated by the similar centres in different districts of Pakistan so as to eradicate the lethal disease at a grass root level.
Dr. Ayesha said that Minister of State Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr. Tariq Fazal Chauhdry being a doctor had good understanding of the issues and was taking great interest to improve the basic health system, which would eventually help ease the extreme pressure on the PIMS due to influx of patients from rural areas.
Federal Breast Cancer’s screening programme:
Dr Ayesha, being a Federal Breast Cancer Deputy Project Director, started the awareness against breast cancer ever first time by visiting Basic Health Unites (BHUs), Rural Health Centres (RHCs) and Model Girls Colleges of Islamabad once in a week to spread awareness among general public and women pertaining to the screening for early detection of the disease.
However, she expressed disappointment that there is a lack of health professionals trained in clinical breast examination procedures.
She said that during her visit to the BHUs and RHCs in various parts of the capital she found that even normal deliveries were not taking place at these centres, causing greater risks to health of mothers and child.
Dr Ayesha said that it is crucial that the disease is diagnosed at an early stage so that curative procedures can be undertaken without delay.
State-of-the-art machinery worth Rs. 75 million was purchased which includes ultrasound machine with elastography, mobile mammography machine and a static mammography with biopsy facility and more than 200 patients were treated every month in the FBCSP, she added.
However, she stressed the need for strengthening the basic health units, as it could reduce the work load onto the PIMS by 50 per cent, which could enable it to focus its services on major complications.