KABUL, Oct 14 (NNN-XINHUA) – Some 60,000 Afghan women are reportedly developing breast cancer each year, mostly in the capital Kabul, a private English paper, the Daily Outlook Afghanistan, reported Sunday.
According to the paper, a survey, conducted by the Afghanistan Cancer Foundation (ACF), in 10 of the country’s 34 provinces, found that Kabul has the most number of breast cancer patients.
“Kabul has the most number of breast cancer patients, followed by Balkh, Panjshir and Kapisa provinces,” the paper, quoting Jawad Safi, head of the foundation, as saying.
Confirming the outspread of the disease, a source from the Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said that, breast cancer was the deadliest disease for women after heart diseases, the paper added, in its report.
“Preventing breastfeeding, smoking and obesity are the major causes of breast cancer in the country,” the paper, citing a physician, Nasrin Oryakhil, as saying.
In the entire country, according to the media reports, there is only one oncology department with 65 beds, but with no readily available chemotherapy and no radiation at the state-run Jamhuriat (Republican) Hospital in Kabul, the paper added.– NNN-XINHUA
