Tackle Breast Cancer To Curtail Avoidable Deaths – Advocates To Government
The Executive Director of Meena Breast Cancer Foundation(MBCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, has urged the government to turn its attention to breast cancer treatment due to the alarming rate of infections and deaths.
It is estimated that five Ghanaian women die daily of breast cancer, and advocates believe it is safe to declare the canker a pandemic.
According to the 2020 GLOBOCAN report, Ghana is estimated to record 4,645 new breast cancer cases, more than double the estimated 2,062 new cases in 2012, with nearly 50% dying.
The high mortality rate is attributed to late-stage presentation, and most women affected with breast cancer are below 50 in Ghana.
However, there are no specialised breast cancer hospitals in the country.
“Governments across the world allocate money to HIV/AIDS every year, but AIDS is not as deadly as cancer,” Mr Kwarteng argued.
Barely three months after the launch of MBCF, Mr Kwarteng says their offices have been overwhelmed by breast cancer patients across the country.
“We have had a lot of patients reach out to us for help, and that goes to show that there’s a lot the government needs to do to support these patients,” he added.
Speaking at the opening of the foundation’s office at Mataheko- Dansoman, Mr Kwarteng advocated for women’s periodic examination of the breasts.
“Cancer can occur at any time in the year, so do not wait till October to get your breast checked,” he said.
He hinted that the foundation had plans to visit secondary schools nationwide to sensitise students on the disease.
“We have started our secondary school sensitisation, and we are going to visit more schools,” he said.
According to him, the foundation has secured land at the Potsin A.I. Ahmadiyya School to build a breast cancer clinic for the community.
“We decided to build the clinic at the school because that is where my late wife had her secondary education, but we intend to build at least three more clinics at various locations this year,” Mr Kwarteng said.
Buttressing the need for the government’s attention on breast cancer treatment, an oncology nurse at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Eric Brobbey, said there were only two radiation centres in the country.
“One of the two radiation centres is at Korle Bu, the other is privately owned, so you can imagine patients travelling the breadth and width of the country to seek treatment here in Accra, the cost of transportation, feeding, accommodation and even treatment becomes unbearable to many,” he noted
Therefore, he urged the government to pay special attention to breast cancer treatment.
The Meena Breast Cancer Foundation was launched on October 6, 2022, in Accra in memory of Mrs Amina Oppong Kwarteng, who died of breast cancer on July 18, 2022.
To support the project, kindly send your donations to 054 5822 773.