By Kamal Ahmed
Yeniamah(E/R), Oct 16, GNA-The Hunger Project (THP), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has stepped up their efforts to combat breast cancer by screening more women for the potentially fatal illness.
The screening was part of the Maternal and Child Health Improvement Project’s celebration of this year’s Breast Awareness Month held at Yeniamah under the Adjena Dornor Epicentre in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern region.
Officials from the THP-Ghana and the GHS underlined the necessity of collaborative efforts in combating the fatal diseasefuring their speeches based on the theme of togetherness in fighting breast cancer, stressing, “No one should face breast cancer alone.”
Mr. Charles Dzamesi, the Adjena Dornor Epicentre Project Officer, told GNA in an interview that the project’s focus was on women’s and children’s health.
However, to raise awareness and take control of breast health, he advised both men and women to participate in the breast cancer education campaign.
He clarified that October was the annual global health campaign for breast cancer awareness, which aims to raise public awareness of the illness and promote preventative actions for early diagnosis and treatment.
“Keep in mind that it is closer to you and not far away. Therefore, let us visit hospitals for frequent breast examinations to know our status.”
Adding “No matter how resourceful or rich you’re, we know that it’s difficult to treat breast cancer, so the best way is to prevent it from coming.”
He encouraged the participants to go for mammogram screenings to prevent the disease.
He said, “I’m passionate about creating awareness to ensure that no other woman or man falls a victim to breast cancer because I’ve lost a loved one to this deadly disease, and that is my passion and the passion of the Hunger Project.”
Ms. Afua Konadu, a public health nurse in the Asuogyaman District Health Directorate, listed several indicators of the potential occurrence or signs and symptoms of breast cancer, including the appearance of new breast lumps, breast swelling in specific areas, skin irritation on breast, redness in the breast’s nipple area, and pain in the same area.
She said the main cause of breast cancer was unknown, but some of the risk factors that lead to it are meeting harmful chemicals, obesity, not eating well (unhealthy food), ageing, alcoholism, family history of breast cancer, and among others.
She urged the people not to use herbal medicine in treating breast cancer and avoid stigmatisation of it.
“If you have any symptoms, swiftly seek medical attention for early detection and treatment, because if it is not recognised early and the problem gets out of hand, dealing with it would be difficult,” she added.
Nurses led over 50 students and parents from Dawa Tokro, Sedom, Yeniamah, and other villages who came to the breast cancer awareness and education event through a self-examination exercise and discussed the significance of doing it once a month.
This approach enables individual ladies to recognise symptoms early on, allowing them to swiftly report to healthcare services.
Ms. Konadu noted that the VRA hospital provides mammogram screenings for breast cancer throughout the district at a reasonable cost, making it easy for people to get tested.
The Hunger Project is committed to establishing long-term, comprehensive ways to combat hunger.
This method targets pressing concerns and underlying elements, providing a strategy for building resilience, independence, and empowerment within communities, ensuring a future in which all individuals are well-nourished and able to thrive.
GNA