State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki on Tuesday called for creating awareness among women against breast cancer.”Women are not adequately aware about this (breast cancer),” she said while speaking as special guest at a discussion marking “Breast Cancer Awareness Month-2016” at Uttara Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital in the city.
The state minister said about 22,000 people are being diagnosed with breast cancer in the country annually and the rate of death among them is high. She said most of the women in the country do not have their own money or property to spend for improved treatment in case of any fatal disease. Therefore, they feel helpless and ultimately die. Chumki stressed the need for creating awareness against breast cancer and said the government will give all possible cooperation for the treatment of cancer patients. Awami League Presidium Member and former minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, MP, addressed the function as the chief guest with President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam in the chair. Prof AMM Shariful Alam, Prof Harun Ur Rashid, Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital Director General Brig Gen (Retd) Syed Fazle Karim, consultant doctors and officials of the hospital were present, among others, at the meeting.
“The number of cancer and heart patients is increasing in the country,” Sahara Khatun said, adding that the treatment of breast cancer is now possible in Bangladesh.
She also urged Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital to take special care of poor patients.
