By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Accra, Oct. 30, GNA – Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has cautioned women against applying hot stones, herbs, or creams to their breasts when they detect lumps.
He said such practices could delay proper diagnosis and worsen the condition.
“If you feel a lump, notice nipple discharge or any change in breast shape, do not wait, massage or medicate it away. Visit a health facility as early as possible,” he advised.
Speaking at the Breast Health Fair in Accra on Tuesday, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe urged men to support the women in their lives by accompanying them for screening and encouraging early care.
“When families and workplaces make care easier, outcomes improve significantly,” he added.
He said breast cancer remained the most diagnosed cancer among Ghanaian women, with 5,026 new cases and 2,369 deaths recorded in 2022.
“This means nearly one in five cancer diagnoses in Ghana is breast cancer, and many of these are detected at advanced stages, when treatment becomes difficult and outcomes poorer,” he said.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said the GHS had integrated breast health into routine primary care, making breast examinations a core service at health centres and outpatient departments, particularly for women aged 40 and above.
The Service was collaborating with teaching and regional hospitals to improve access to ultrasound, biopsy and pathology reporting, and to strengthen referral systems for surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he said.
The GHS, he noted, was also enhancing data capture through digital tools to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment timelines.
Madam Joyce Aryee, the Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries, and former CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, urged Ghanaian women to know their bodies and prioritise early screening.
“Your breast is something you must know intimately. If you notice anything unusual, don’t wait, seek medical attention immediately,” she said.
She encouraged women to take advantage of screening services available across the country, warning that delayed treatment could lead to mastectomy and a painful recovery.
“Chemotherapy is not easy. You lose your hair, your nails darken, and you go through so much because of the chemicals pumped into your body. Then comes radiation – and that too is difficult,” she said, urging women to avoid spiritualising health conditions.
Dr Naa Adorkor Aryeetey, Senior Specialist in Oncology and Radiotherapy, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, advised women to perform breast self-examinations at least once a month.
She said many women reported to health facilities late due to lack of knowledge, making treatment more expensive and less effective.
The Breast Health Fair, organised by the GHS with support from corporate partners, aimed to promote timely access to information, respectful screening, and quality treatment for breast conditions.
It offered participants free health and breast screening consultations.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe