Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) is taking its word into action as it is set to cut sod for the construction of breast cancer clinics across the country. The facilities would have theatres.
The Executive Director of MBCF, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng said the move is part of efforts to give prominence to the fight against breast cancer, the deadliest of cancers in women.
Mr Kwarteng said this during the official opening of MBCF office in Accra to facilitate its operations.
He said breast cancer fight has been trivialized, unlike some deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Mr Kwarteng said there must be frantic efforts to show commitment to the fight against the disease urging government to consider putting up specialized breast cancer hospitals for holistic but affordable treatment of the disease.
“The support given to breast cancer patients was done under our Health Check Series but we had to isolate it from the programme. This is because we want to give it the prominence that is needed due to the high cases we receive. The fight against the disease has been taken lightly as compared to HIV/AIDS which has been fought to the extent that is no longer feared as before,” he complained.
“Government must consider building breast cancer hospitals dedicated to the fight against the disease,” he added.
In its own efforts, the MBCF breast care centres are to be constructed in some Senior High Schools and communities, which according to Mr Kwarteng ‘will give ready assistance to poor patients’.
Mr Kwarteng who is a PhD student indicated that a model of the facility would be constructed for Potsin T. I Ahmadiyya Senior High Senior where his late wife, Amina Oppong Kwarteng who succumbed to breast cancer had her secondary education.
This he said would be replicated in other schools and some communities.
Mr Kwarteng who has been unhappy with the current lethargic campaign only in October indicated that the disease steals lives daily and therefore there is a need to consolidate advocacy every day. “MBCF care centres are a strategy to consolidate the fight against the deadly disease. This will help inculcate in young girls the urgency in screening their breasts who will intend educate their parents,” he was optimistic.
“In 2021 alone Ghana recorded 4,800 new cases of breast cancer. This number is scary. High numbers are mostly recorded in October during the national month for creating awareness. The October awareness creation is not sustainable because people die each day when there is no awareness creation,” an Oncology Nurse at the Breast Cancer Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Eric Brobbey backing calls for an everyday aggressive campaign against the disease.
He furthered that the cost of treatment has been a major bane in fighting the disease as it discourages patients from seeking care. He commended MBCF for its interventions to assist patients.
“I am grateful to MBCF for their interventions. These are providing financial support, screening opportunities, providing facilities and embarking on educational campaigns,” Mr Brobbey said.
He added ‘government must waive the cost of treatment because most of the women prefer staying home to die than visiting the hospital where they cannot afford the huge bills.’
MBCF began a nationwide breast cancer education and screening campaign in Senior High Schools holding its maiden edition at Potsin T. I. AMASS followed by St. Mary’s Senior High School.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association, Kasoa have also benefited.
A Board Member of MBCF, Adelaide Alhassani-Davies called on the general public for support to enable the Foundation to implement its objectives to save lives.
The Meena Breast Cancer Foundation was established with the foresight of the late wife of Mr Oppong Kwarteng, Amina Oppong Kwarteng who vowed to wage a relentless war against breast cancer while she was in her sick bed. But she, unfortunately, succumbed to the disease.
By Rudolph Nandi
