Govt must take urgent action against breast cancer: Prof. Dr. Rashid Mahmood

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jul, 2026) Prof. Dr. Rashid Mahmood, President Pakistan academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has expressed deep concern over the alarming findings of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Cancer 2026.

According to the report, women in Pakistan experience an average delay of 111.5 days between the diagnosis of breast cancer and the start of treatment. This long delay can be life-threatening and greatly reduces the chances of survival.

The main reasons for this delay include the lack of breast cancer screening facilities at Basic Health Units (BHUs), low public awareness, and shortages of cancer medicines and radiotherapy equipment.

While survival rates in developed countries are above 85% because of early diagnosis and timely treatment, the survival rate in Pakistan is below 30%.

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Prof. Dr. Rashid Mahmood urged the Federal and provincial governments to take immediate action by establishing free breast cancer screening and diagnostic centers at district and tehsil levels.

He also recommended reducing time between diagnosis and treatment to less than 60 days, in line with international standards.

Ensuring uninterrupted funding and supply of cancer medicines to government hospitals besides launching nationwide awareness campaigns to remove the social stigma associated with breast cancer.

Dr. Rashid said that these delays are costing the lives of many mothers and sisters. The government must move beyond routine measures and make women's health a national priority.