Breast Cancer Prevalent in Mining Areas – Dr. Wiafe

The CEO of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe- Addai has revealed that most of the breast cancer cases reported in Ghana were from mining areas.

The CEO of the Peace and Love Hospitals mentioned Oda, Akwatia and Kade in the Eastern Region and Obuasi and Manso in the Ashanti Region as such areas with most cases of breast cancer.

She noted at a stakeholders meeting with the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council in Koforidua that chemicals at mining sites appeared to be linked to breast cancer and urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to task mining companies operating within their areas to be involved in the support and screening of breast cancer.

Dr Wiafe Addai said the role of the MMDAs was very critical in the fight against breast cancer and stressed the need for the involvement of the MMDAs to support at least the screening for breast cancer for women in their areas of operation for early detection and treatment.

The meeting was to introduce a programme initiated by the BCI to engage unemployed nurses to be trained as oncology nurses to work in the rural communities in the Eastern and Ashanti Regions.

Dr Wiafe- Addai said the move was to bridge the gap between screening, early detection and treatment of breast cancer particularly among rural women by attaching the nurses to the CHPS centres in the various communities within the two regions.

According to her despite the awareness creation about breast cancer, many people report late to health facilities due to a number of reasons including affordability and getting the appropriate information as to where to go for treatment.

Source: otecfmghana.com