Breast Care International and Community Connect Network screen women in Konongo
Breast Care International (BCI) in collaboration with Community Connect Network have organized free breast cancer clinical screening and awareness at Konongo-Odumasi in the Asante Akyem municipal of the Ashanti region.
The exercise which was also in collaboration with St Peter’s Anglican Church at Konongo took place at the assembly hall of Konongo-Odumasi Senior High School (KOSS) on Sunday, May 29, 2022, was attended by the women in the community and student of KOSS.
President of BCI, Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who led the exercises, took the participants through the causes and prevention of breast cancer, the number one killer cancer disease among women.
Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals, advised women to adopt Self-Breasts Examination (SBE) if they cannot go to the health facilities for screening.
She said about 80 percent of women who contract breasts cancer are not aware and stressed the need for the women to adopt to the self-examination.
She noted that it will help them to identify any unusual thing in the breasts for them to immediately seek medical attention.
“I will advise that you examine your breasts by yourselves at least once every month if you cannot go to the hospital for screening. It will help you to detect anything unusual (lump) in breasts for prompt action to be taken,” he said.
She added that “the disease is preventable, treatable and curable if detected early” and asked them to avoid self-medication when they find any changes in the breasts.
Parish Priest of St Peter’s Anglican Church at Konongo, Rev. Canon Danso Brefo, in appreciating the good and sacrificial works of Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, entreated the participants, especially the students, to also educate their relatives at home on breast cancer.
The Headmaster of Konongo-Odumasi Senior High School (KOSS), Dr Benjamin Kwaku Baah, in his speech appealed to the government to assist BCI in terms of logistics to enable it go to rural areas where the disease is rampant, to save more lives.
The President of the Dr. Afrifa Foundation, Lawyer Laud Afrifa, advised the women to desist from staying in the prayer camps with breast problems, repeating the message by Rev. Professor Frimpong Manson at the Lancet Oncology launch in Accra, that such pastors are “murderers”.
The CEO of Community Connect Network, Mrs Agyeman Afrifa, in her speech said her outfit will continue to partner BCI in the education and awareness outreach programmes to improve the welfare of women in the rural areas.
The program was graced by the MCE for Asante Akyem Central, Hon Yaw Kwakye and the Presiding Member for the Asante Akyem Municipal Assembly, Hon Samuel Ohemeng.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Francis Appiah
