By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Oct. 30, GNA-The Ghana Chamber of Shippers has organised the ‘Maritime Goes Pink Durbar’ as part of awareness creation on breast cancer.
The durbar was organised in partnership with the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA-Ghana) and the Women in Maritime of West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA) on the theme: “Together We Rise for Hope and Awareness.”
Ms Gloria Nora Bamfowaa, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Chamber of Shipping, in a keynote address, said the theme must be applied with the same strategic intensity maritime stakeholders apply to moving a 14,000 TEU vessel.
Ms Bamfowaa added that in the maritime industry, they prided themselves on efficiency, strategy, and risk management, spending millions securing their assets, terminals, vessels, and cargo.
She said maritime stakeholders must reflect if they were investing enough in securing their most vital asset, the women and men who drive the supply chain, adding that professional women in the sector, the planners, the financial controllers, the logistics coordinators, and the clearing agents, faced unique pressures that directly compromised their ability to prioritise health checks.
She explained that the 24-hour port schedule, which ensured that Ghana’s ports never slept, was because, “Our logistics professionals often work irregular, long hours driven by vessel schedules, customs deadlines, and truck turnaround times,” questioning, “When is the time to schedule a mammogram when your client’s container is incurring demurrage?”
Ms Bamfowaa said in a fast-paced, often male-dominated environment, there was a pervasive fear that taking time off for screening or treatment would be a signal a lack of commitment or a vulnerability that could derail a hard-won career, adding that this forced the high-performing women to choose between their career trajectory and their life.
According to her, while there were corporate health policies, they were often inadequate for specialised preventive care or the catastrophic costs associated with comprehensive treatment, stressing that for too many women, early detection was delayed because the financial risk appears too high.
“We understand risk transfer. Today, we must actively transfer the risk of health neglect away from the individual employee and onto the shoulders of the robust corporate system we have built. It is time for the Ghana Chamber of Shipping and all partner organisations to move beyond simple awareness campaigns. Our new mandate is policy advocacy and systemic support.”
She advocated mandatory paid screening leave and deployment of mobile screening units at the point of work to encourage screening and early detection of health conditions, especially breast cancer.
Madam Janet Houghman Addy, the President of WIMOWCA-Ghana, said beyond the global awareness campaign on breast cancer in October, people must acknowledge that breast cancer remained one of the leading causes of death among women globally.
Reiterating that every two minutes, a woman somewhere in the world receives a breast cancer diagnosis, adding that according to the World Health Organization’s GLOBOCAN 2020 Report, approximately 40 out of every 100,000 Ghanaian women are diagnosed each year, and 19 out of every 100,000 lose their lives.
“Even more alarming, a BMC Women’s Health (2022) study reveals that about 70% of breast cancer cases in Ghana are detected at an advanced stage — when treatment is least effective.”
She added that early detection was not just medical advice but rather a lifeline, stressing that a simple self-examination each month, an annual screening, or an open conversation could save a life.
Madam Gertrude Ohene-Asienim, the President of WISTA-Ghana, in a goodwill message, stated that the durbar reflected a shared commitment to health, hope, and saving lives, adding that “imagine, for a moment, discovering an unfamiliar lump in your breast, a moment of fear and uncertainty that changes everything. For millions of women around the world, that single moment marks the beginning of a journey, one of courage, resilience, and determination.”
She added that behind every statistic were real people: mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends whose stories remind everyone that breast cancer was not just a medical condition but also a deeply human experience, one that tests the strength, unity, and compassion among people.
She called on all women in maritime to stand together and use their networks, influence, and compassion to make a difference.
Participants in the durbar were sensitised on the risk factors, symptoms, and treatment of breast cancer by medical officers from the International Maritime Hospital (IMAH).
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante-Agyei