By Dominic Antwi Agyei
Ohwimase (Ash), Oct. 21, GNA – The breast plays a major role in the human life and must be handled with care, Madam Vivian Asirifi, Kwadaso Municipal Deputy Health Director, has said.
She has, therefore, encouraged women to regularly visit the hospital for check-ups since early detection of the disease was the surest way to fight breast cancer.
Madam Asirifi was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a day’s free breast cancer screening exercise for people in the Kwadaso Municipality.
The exercise was organised by Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, together with the Municipal Health Directorate.
The exercise, according to the Deputy Director, forms part of activities to mark this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness month.
It presented the opportunity for women and men in the area to screen for the disease and be educated on the causes and possible preventive measures.
Madam Asirifi explained that symptoms of breast cancer included, a lump or swelling in the breast, change in size, inverted nipple, discharge from the nipple, among others.
According to her, breast cancer was the most common cancer that affected women and the most common cause of cancer deaths in Ghana.
She said even though the cause of the disease was not known, it was advisable for people, especially women, to avoid smoking and alcohol which were some of the risk factors of the disease.
She advised women to conduct self-breast examination and report anomalies for early treatment.
Dr Nyarko, on his part, said the motive behind the screening was to motivate the constituents to do regular medical check-ups on their breast to detect early cancer.
He said breast cancer must be a matter of concern to everyone because it was the most common cancer affecting both males and females.
The MP advised the people to take advantage of the breast cancer month to get themselves screened, since that was key to prevent the disease.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with the GNA expressed gratitude to the MP and the health directorate for organising the screening and called on the public to avail themselves for medical check-ups.
GNA