The President of Breasts Care International (BCI) Dr Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai has cautioned Ghanaian women on the use of hair relaxer and skin bleaching creams, as they have been found to be among the factors that contribute in the contracting of breast cancer among women in the country.
She said, a report available by Ghana Breast Health study (2013), a case study initiated by the USA based National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Ghana, it was revealed that fake and expired hair relaxer and skin bleaching creams contain chemicals that make them among the risk factors, and therefore cautioned them to be on the look when patronizing such products.
The study involved Peace and Love Hospital (PLH) and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) both in Kumasi and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Dr. Wiafe Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals in Kumasi and Accra, gave the caution during a free health screening in Tamale, the Northern regional capital on Thursday, June 7, 2018, which was organised by the Breasts Care International and Peace and Love Hospital, in collaboration with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC).
The screening, which involved breasts, cervical, prostate, diabetes and hypertension, attracted about 700 participants from Tamale and its environs.
It also formed part of preparatory activities for the BCI’s 8th edition of “BCI Walk for the Cure”, slated for Tamale in the Northern Region, on Saturday, June 27, 2018, which is a programme designed to create an awareness of the breast cancer disease, which is prevalent among Ghanaian women.
“The disease as we speak now, we don’t know it’s causes but there are risk factors that determine those who are prone to contract the breast cancer and among them are those who have family history of breast cancer, women who are childless, those who have been experiencing swollen of the breasts after giving birth, among others. But the study has brought to fore that women who use fake and expired hair relaxer and skin bleaching creams now fall into the risk factors because the chemicals in these creams have been found to be poisonous and cause breast cancer,” she revealed.
“I, therefore, caution the women to check on creams’ labels for their expiry periods before patronising and should not also just buy any of the creams from the market but contact their beauticians for advice on the right choice of these creams,” she advised.
Dr Wiafe Addai, who is the President-elect of the Africa Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), educated the participants, which also included men, on the prevention and cure of the disease.
“The contraction of the disease doesn’t equal to the death, it is avoidable and curable if detected early so I advise you to do self-breast examination at least every month in order to avoid been caught unaware by breast cancer. Or visit a recognised hospital at least every year for clinical examination of the breasts,” she urged.
The Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Alhassan Issahaku, on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Salifu Saaed, expressed his profound appreciation to Dr Wiafe Addai and her team for choosing Tamale as next venue to campaign against the dreadful disease and expected that the “Walk” will put the people in the region on high alert on the disease.
He also declared their support for the success of the October 27 programme and promised to provide all the needed logistics available to make it one of the best of the annual event.
Source: otecfmghana.com/Ebenezer Amankwah
