By Albert Allotey
Accra, Sept 9, GNA-The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has encouraged men to adopt a proactive health-seeking behaviour to prevent and seek early treatment for prostate cancer.
Dr. Abdul-Samed Tanko, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UGMC, said this was crucial as prostate cancer had become too common among Ghanaian men.
“Proactive checks save lives, and the earlier we act, the better the outcomes we get,” he said.
Dr Tanko made the call when the UGMC launched the 2025 Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in collaboration with the Ghana Association of Urological Surgeons (GAUS) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with support from Johnson & Johnson.
He said that to ensure the fight against the disease, the UGMC would soon create a prostate cancer registry in partnership with the GHS to demonstrate its commitment.
He urged men nationwide to prioritize health screening for early detection and treatment of the disease.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is an annual observance in September focused on educating the public and men about prostate cancer.
Dr. Mary Monney-Bortey, Head of the Urology Department at UGMC, speaking at the event, said prostate cancer was the leading cancer among Ghanaian men and remained one of the most pressing health challenges for men globally.
She said silence and late patient presentation often led to devastating outcomes for most of the cases urologists were seeing at the Centre.
Dr Monney-Bortey urged men above 40 years to get screened at least once a year since early detection of the disease offered the best chance for survival for patients with prostate cancer.
Prof. Matthew Kyei, Head of the Department of Surgery at the UGMS and Vice President of GAUS, explained that globally, one in eight men would face prostate cancer in their lifetime, with cases commonly diagnosed from age 65 and above.
In Ghana, however, many patients present late, with over half of diagnoses occurring at advanced stages, he stated.
He also revealed that while early-stage prostate cancer had a five-year survival rate of up to 98 per cent the prognosis for late detection was often very poor.
He said, fortunately, there was the availability of effective screening tools such as Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), prostate biopsies, and imaging scans in Ghana.
“There is the availability of effective treatments like external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer, but affordability, accessibility, and awareness remained major challenges,” Prof Kyei stated.
Dr. Caroline Reindorf Amissah, the Deputy Director General of GHS, called for prostate cancer checks to be integrated into Ghana’s primary healthcare system.
Dr Amissah, speaking on behalf of the Director General of GHS, called on stakeholders to use every available platform, including churches and community gatherings, to normalize conversations about men’s health in Ghana.
She said the need for clear referral pathways, more trained urologists, and consistent medical supplies had become necessary, adding “Every encounter with a man should be seen as an opportunity to encourage screening.”
Mr. Kwame Frimpong, representing Johnson & Johnson, expressed the company’s pride in supporting such a significant health campaign and reaffirmed their commitment to improving healthcare delivery in Ghana.
The event witnessed a panel discussion, a question and answer session where participants raised concerns about the challenges of early detection, stigma, causes of the disease, fear, and the limited knowledge about the disease by Ghanaians.
GNA
Edited by Christian Akorlie