Danquah Institute Holds Symposium On Breast Cancer: 154 Screened, 6 Cases Detected At UCC | Health

As a part of efforts to scale back instances of breast most cancers, improve its consciousness for early detection and encourage the general public to interrupt the parable surrounding the illness, the Danquah institute has held a symposium on the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to mark the worldwide month -long advocacy within the Central Region.

The symposium organized in partnership with the Women's Commission below the Senior Staff Association of the University of Cape Coast and the Breast Care International had a complete of 100 and fifty-four (154) college students and employees from the University neighborhood screened.

Out of the quantity screened, it emerged that six instances (6) have been recorded between the ages of 20- 40years with the youngest 21 and oldest 40 years respectively.

Speaking on the theme for the occasion, “Breast Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes and Screening Practices in Ghana” the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Mrs. Rosemond Boohene famous that breast most cancers is a well being crimson flag which has been hoisted very excessive to draw the eye of coverage makers, well being specialists, conventional authorities and the peculiar residents.

Expressing her appreciation to the Danquah Institute for bearing the price of the screening and session train for the University neighborhood by bringing on board the Breast Care International, she careworn that breast most cancers is the main sort of most cancers in girls.

“When the pandemic hit, people with breast cancer found themselves in a difficult situation with a lot of them at high risk of contracting the virus due to overwhelmed hospitals with some extreme cases even postponed” - she recounted.

She noticed that in 2020, there have been 2.3 million diagnoses of breast most cancers and 685,000 deaths globally, with increased mortality price of girls in creating international locations. Declaring her unflinching help to win the worldwide battle in opposition to the illness, the Professor of Enterprise Development on the Center for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise on the School of Business of the UCC, defined that the worldwide breast most cancers consciousness initiative of the World Health Organization goals to scale back the most cancers mortality by 2.5% per yr. “The WHO has introduced three measures to achieve this goal through health promotion for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive breast cancer management, and the school together with all partners supports the course through the first and second measures because we believe in contributing to a healthy Ghana in our own small way hoping to see more partnership with the Danquah Institute to achieve the third measure”

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, the Board Secretary of the Institute, Lawyer Mansa Williams mentioned the Institute prides itself in creating extra of such platforms for dialogue and so as to add to data for knowledgeable determination making for coverage makers on topic of nationwide significance and the wellbeing of the folks.

She remarked “the program is important to change attitudes towards the fight against the disease because breast cancer is an ailment the country and globally can't be taken for granted as it affects mostly women. In Ghana, 31.8% of cancer cases were breast cancer and mostly diagnosed at the advanced stages unlike in the developed world high percentage of cases are detected at the early stages.”

She urged that the narrative in our components of the world particularly Ghana is modified with acutely aware effort to deepen our data in regards to the illness, change our attitudes and domesticate the behavior to display screen ceaselessly.

She noticed that final yr the institute efficiently held an analogous occasion which concerned a panel dialogue with eminent individuals with huge expertise on the topic to sensitize most people and obligation bearers to rise to the event by setting up efficient insurance policies to assist mitigate the hazards the illness is having on the human useful resource capital particularly girls and ladies.

In conclusion, she acknowledged that the Institute is dedicated to carry extra of those occasions by transferring out of Accra to make the specified affect because the Institute is conscious of the seriousness of breast most cancers so as to not lose lives.

Resource particular person for the symposium, who's a retired Radiographer and famend breast most cancers advocate with the Breast Care International (BCI), Madam Grace Animwaa addressing the University neighborhood and invited dignitaries underscored the necessity to overcome concern in getting scanned as the results of radiography appear to trigger extra fright to girls.

The advocate who has labored on the Komfo Anokye Hospital and with over 30 years of expertise in mammography nevertheless admitted that there's a degree of unfavourable impact in coming into contact with radiation however it should not deter the general public most particularly girls because the benefit of realizing the standing and taking cost of the breast outweighs the hazards when analysis is delayed.

Other dignitaries that graced the event are the Deputy Director of the Danquah Institute, Dr. Hayford Ayerakwa, the Womens' Commissioner of Senior Staff Association-UCC, Mrs. Joana Akinola, Director of the Center for Gender, Research, Advocacy and Documentation-CEGRAD, Dr. Georgina Yaa Oduro, a consultant of the Central Regional Minister, Hon Justina Marigold Assan, the President of Breast Cancer Survivors' Association, Mrs Vivian Gyasi Sarfo and others.

The session of the symposium the place survivors shared their tales was moderated by Dr. Doris Akyere Boateng, a Fellow of the Danquah Institute and senior lecturer on the University of Ghana, Social Work division.