By P.K.Yankey, GNA
Takoradi (W/R), Nov. 13, GNA – The Aroma Universal Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has organised breast and prostate cancer screening and treatment awareness in general health screening for more than 2,000 residents in Takoradi.
The Foundation, in collaboration with medical experts, diagnosed breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, hypertension, blood pressure, sugar level and other ailments with free medication and snacks.
The annual health screening exercise, which formed part of the Foundation services to humanity, started eight years ago and is being sponsored by North Chemists and Tobinco Pharmacy with support from First Samuel Supermarket and Son Supermarket.
Madam Monica Dede Odonkor, the Executive Director of the Aroma Universal Foundation, told reporters that many of the residents were secretly living with the disease without any knowledge.
“It is against this backdrop that management of the Foundation decided to roll out a comprehensive health care awareness specifically in breast and prostate cancer as well as general health screening to bring health care delivery to the doorsteps of the people and diagnose them.”
Madam Dede Odonkor told journalists that their focus was on neo-natal jaundice and that the Foundation had visited the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital to rescue a lot of children under one month old who were dying from this disease.
She revealed that drugs on neo-natal jaundice were inadequate and appealed to oil producing companies in the Western Region to assist the organisation to purchase photo-therapy machine for the treatment of neo-natal jaundice diseases.
Madam Dede Odonkor said in the past eight years, the Foundation had impacted positively on the general wellness of people in the communities.
Dr Simon Osei-Frimpong, the Medical Director at the Kwesimintsim Government Hospital said breast cancer and other diseases such as hypertension and diabetes had assumed an alarming rate with a riding death toll in Africa.
He said that early detection and treatment were helpful and also called for regular screening, scanning, and mammogram.
Dr Osei-Frimpong said breast cancer could affected men, women and children, adding that the public health unit of the hospitals would do its best to intensify the awareness.
Pastor David Arku, the Board Chairman of Aroma Universal Foundation touted the achievements of the Foundation in financing surgical operations for the vulnerable in society.
He said the Foundation continued to solicit scholarships for the needy but brilliant students as well as assisting orphans and widows in the quest for a holistic society.
Nana Ayeribi Acquah Kofi III, the Chief of Gomoa Nkran, mother of the Executive Director of the Foundation, appealed to the government to partner NGOs with financial support so that the screening exercise could be carried out thrice a year to intensify treatment of the disease.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/ Christabel Addo