Karachi: Sindh Medical College and JPMC Ward 7, the GI and Liver Clinic, in collaboration with Ward 23 and the Colorectal Surgery Section of the Surgical Department, observed World Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day on 7 March.
As March is commemorated as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the event was organized to promote awareness about this disease.
The program began with an awareness rally from Jinnah Sindh Medical University to the GI Clinic at Ward 7. During the rally, Vice Chancellor Professor Amjad Siraj Memon, Executive Director Professor Shahid Rasul, Director HR Dr. Rahat Naz, Principal of Sindh Medical College Professor Ambereen Usmani, Professor Syed Masroor Ahmed, Dr. Nighat Sha, Family Medicine Incharge Dr. Kiran Abdul Sattar, Mr. Sohrab Zaman, along with other institutional heads, postgraduates, house officers, and students of Sindh Medical College, all donned blue to express their solidarity in the fight against colon cancer.
Following the rally, a public awareness session was held in the lecture hall of Ward 7, where experts explained the critical importance of early diagnosis and prevention of colorectal cancer—a malignancy that originates in the colon (large intestine) and rectum, often beginning as benign polyps that can eventually develop into cancer.
A panel of specialists from the departments of Medicine and Gastroenterology, including former Principal of Sindh Medical College Professor Syed Masroor Ahmed, Professor Zeeshan Ali, Dr. Shabnam Naveed, and Assistant Professor Dr. Muhmmad Masood Khoso, addressed questions from the audience and advised that every individual should undergo a colonoscopy screening at the age of 45 and adopt a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, to ensure timely diagnosis and effective treatment of colon cancer.
The program was further bolstered by the participation of Dr. Adil Hassan, Dr. Basit Mahesar, and Dr. Marium Fatima, as well as the presence of Professor Zeeshan Ali from Medicine Ward 23 and the Colorectal Surgery Team led by Professor Dr. Dilip Kumar and Associate Professor Dr. Shafqat.
The purpose of the event was to spread awareness about colorectal cancer during the month of March, so that people become educated about the importance of early screening and timely treatment, which can help reduce the impact of this disease.
