Pakistan’s Breast Cancer Detection and Treatment System Has Failed, Says Pakistan Medical Association

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed serious concern over a World Health Organization (WHO) report highlighting delays in breast cancer treatment, warning that the country’s system for early diagnosis and treatment has effectively failed.

According to the PMA, a 111-day delay in the treatment of breast cancer significantly increases the risk of the disease spreading. The association said it currently takes nearly four months for treatment to begin after a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer.

The PMA stated that Pakistan’s healthcare system is failing to provide timely diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. It noted that survival rates for breast cancer patients exceed 85 percent in developed countries, while in Pakistan the survival rate remains below 30 percent.

The association said breast cancer screening facilities at primary healthcare centers are almost non-existent. It added that limited public awareness, social stigma, and cultural barriers often prevent women from seeking medical attention at an early stage. High treatment costs and poverty further restrict access to timely healthcare, while the current average delay of 111 days amounts to a death sentence for thousands of women.

The PMA also highlighted a severe shortage of cancer medicines and radiotherapy machines in public hospitals. It urged the government to establish free breast cancer screening centers at district and tehsil hospitals, immediately provide radiotherapy equipment and chemotherapy medicines to public healthcare facilities, and make breast cancer screening and treatment a national priority.

The association further called on the government to launch an immediate nationwide awareness campaign to promote early detection and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.