By Dennis Peprah
Koforidua (A/R), Oct.19, GNA – The Duayaw-Nkwanta St. John of God Catholic Hospital in the Ahafo Region, recorded 17 cases of breast cancer in 2022, Ms.
Abena Konadu Gyimah, a Public Health Nurse at the hospital has said. She said all the patients who had some abnormalities suspected to be breast cancers, were however referred to the Komfo Anokye and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospitals respectively for further medical examination.
Ms Gyimah was speaking at a breast cancer screening exercise in Koforidua, near Duayaw-Nkwanta, which was organised by the women’s wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Tano North constituency.
She said the exercise was sponsored by Dr Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North and the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources and benefited more than 150 women polling station executives of the NPP in the constituency.
Ms Gyimah explained that the 17 suspected breast cancer cases were recorded among women who visited and were screened at the hospital.
She expressed worry over the lack of modern machines such as mammogram, to detect early signs and symptoms of breast cancers, a situation which was slowing down the fight against the disease.
Ms Gyimah said the high cases of breast cancer being recorded in the country required a national policy guideline, saying Ghana recorded over 4000 cases of the disease in 2020, with half of the women dying.
She therefore appealed to the government to make funds available for intensified nationwide breast cancer public awareness campaigns and screening.
Dr Prempeh implored the Ghana Health Service to stregthen it collaborates with the media to intensify public education on breast cancer for women, to enhance frequent self-examination, early reporting, and protection.
GNA