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Goasomanhene has challenged traditional rulers within his jurisdiction to leverage their wide-ranging influence and join the national campaign to care for cancer patients.
Nana Kwasi Bosomprah said the fight against cancer should not be left for a few individuals like Dr. Mrs. Wiafe Addai, but be treated as a national ‘canker’ that needs concerted effort by all.
Nana Bosomprah also dispelled the notion that cancers are caused by witchcraft and urged his people to visit the hospital if they notice an unusual lump in their breasts.
He appealled to the government to set up cancer treatment centres in the district capitals across Ghana, equipped with the needed resources and logistics needed to support cancer education.
Goasomanhene was speaking at the 2022 World Cancer Day which was marked at Goaso in the Ahafo Region on the theme “Close the care gap.”
Ghana’s version was marked with a mammoth durbar by the Chiefs and people of Goaso under the auspices of Breast Care International (BCI) to highlight awareness, take stock of successes recorded, and plot a path to overcome impediments in the campaign against cancers.
BCI Founder and President, Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai said it would take an integrated approach by the Government, NGOs, Private sector and all stakeholders to evolve cancer-reduction strategies aimed at providing greater access to care for the poor and vulnerable.
Dr. Addai indicated that “cancers in Ghana could be significantly reduced if Charities operating within that space are assisted with adequate resources and logistics to reach the hinterland where the condition is pervasive, due to abject poverty and ignorance”.
She also lamented over a 2020 Globocan Cancer Report which estimates that 24,009 new cases of cancer occur annually in Ghana out of which 15,802 die.
The most common cancers, according to the report, are breast, (4,482-2,055), liver, (3,45-3,166) cervix (2,797-1,69), and prostrate (2,129-1,117).
She expressed worry about the surge in cancer cases since 2018, a situation that calls for urgent attention.
Dr. Addai pointed out that breast cancer is still the leading cause of death among Ghanaian women.
Consultant Urologist, Dr. Samuel Amanamah and Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr. Augustine Tawiah joined the BCI to mark the day and took their turns to freely educate and screen several women in various communities of Breast, Cervical and Prostate cancers, complete with screening for some non-communicable diseases.
“The collaboration with the Goaso Traditional Council and the Ghana NCD Alliance to mark the day is an ample demonstration of the willingness, readiness and commitment of BCI to fight cancers head-on with like-minded institutions,” Dr. Addai said.
“We have aligned our common vision and interests to among others, engage more brand ambassadors to go knocking on doors and practically plead with women to step out for our nationwide free cancer public education and screening programmes.”
“Close to two decades, BCI’s mass public education, advocacy, counselling and survivorship programs have proven to be the most potent weapons against cancers, the challenges notwithstanding, and we are calling on the media and policymakers to extend more airtime, space and resources to the campaign against cancers”, Dr. Addai stressed
Source: myJoy
