Karachi: PINK Pakistan Trust and Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan have entered into a collaboration agreement to create awareness among the students of colleges and universities across the country about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. The President of PINK Pakistan Trust, Dr. Zubaida Qazi, along with Chairman HEC Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, expressed this while signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Letter of Intent (LoI) at HEC Secretariat Islamabad. She said that the incidence rate of breast cancer in Pakistan is the highest in the Asian region, where one in nine women is at risk of this deadly disease. It is the most common type of cancer in women in Pakistan, where about 40,000 cases of breast cancer are reported annually. Early diagnosis and early treatment are key to reducing breast cancer mortality. Pink Pakistan and HEC joined forces to promote awareness among college and university students about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. Conferences, seminars, and workshops will be organized in colleges and universities to educate students about breast cancer. A campaign will be launched to create awareness about breast cancer using technology to maximize its reach amongst youth. Chairman HEC Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said, “HEC is committed to empowering young women through quality education, skill development, and health and wellness. Our collaboration with Pink Pakistan Trust aims to promote breast cancer awareness among college and university students. We will work together to provide breast cancer screening services to 1.2 million male and female students studying in 216 universities across the country,” he said, adding that the collaboration between Pink Pakistan Trust and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan will help to improve breast cancer rate in Pakistan. It is a vital step in the fight against cancer. By working together to promote breast cancer awareness and research, we can make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by this deadly disease. HEC and PINK Pakistan will facilitate, support, and fund research projects aimed at medical universities to conduct original and robust research on breast cancer. We are excited to partner with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan to create awareness about breast cancer among the youth of the country. If we want to save thousands of precious lives every year from this deadly disease, we need to break the surrounding breast cancer in society, said Dr. Zubaida Qazi.
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