By Joseph Agrace Wiyorbie
Duong (UWR), Nov. 01, GNA – Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie Mumwilma I, Queen Mother of Duong in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, has urged women and young girls to prioritise breast and cervical cancer screening to reduce risk factors and improve their well-being.
She said regular screening and early detection were critical to the prevention and treatment of breast and cervical cancers.
Pognaa Mumwilma made the call during a community durbar and free breast and cervical cancer screening exercise held at the St. Anne Health Centre in Duong.
The durbar organised by the Queen Mother and sponsored by CARE Diagnostics Services, was aimed at creating awareness of the signs, symptoms and prevention of the diseases.
It also sought to encourage women and young girls to seek regular screening and treatment without fear or stigma.
The initiative formed part of preparations towards the Mumwille Pog-Yaare 2027 Homecoming celebration and provided an opportunity to engage parents, schoolgirls and other stakeholders on issues affecting girls’ education and academic performance.
Addressing participants, Pognaa Mumwilma described breast cancer as a major public health challenge affecting millions of people across the world.
She noted that many women in Ghana were diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease due to limited awareness, misconceptions, fear of diagnosis and the high cost of screening, particularly among rural women.
She, therefore, called for sustained public education on breast and cervical cancers and advocated the integration of breast cancer awareness into school curricula and community outreach programmes.
According to her, such interventions would help reduce the burden of breast cancer and improve health outcomes among women.
The Queen Mother also advocated policies to make breast cancer examinations more accessible and affordable, especially in public health facilities, to encourage regular screening and reduce late diagnosis.
Dr Theresa Salifu, Chief Executive Officer of CARE Diagnostics Services, said early detection remained key to successful breast cancer treatment and urged women to make regular health screening a priority.
She advised women to seek medical attention immediately they noticed unusual changes in their breasts rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen.
Dr Salifu cautioned against relying on traditional remedies when symptoms of breast cancer were detected, saying such practices often delayed proper treatment and complicated medical conditions.
She explained that not all breast lumps were cancerous and encouraged women to seek prompt medical assessment whenever they observed unusual changes.
“Breast cancer sometimes occurs without pain, particularly in its early stages. But once a new lump is formed in your breast or armpit, or there are changes in the size of the breast, seek immediate medical attention,” she explained.
A total of 170 women and young girls underwent screening during the exercise.
Of the number screened, 10 women and girls, including two schoolgirls aged between 15 and 17 years, were identified with breast or cervical lumps and referred for further clinical assessment.
Madam Theresa Kayiwie, one of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the Queen Mother and CARE Diagnostics Services for organising the exercise.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah