NGO launches prostate cancer awareness week

Dr Raphael Obu, President of the Men’s Health Foundation, a non-governmental organization, has called for support for the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month scheduled for September.

He said support for the Foundation would enable it to offer better treatment to Ghanaians during and after the month.

Dr Obu made the call when speaking to GNA to launch the awareness month at Dodowa in the Shai-Osu Doku District on Tuesday.

He said it would also offer the NGO the opportunity to create awareness of the danger of the disease and also help more men survive prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.

Dr Obu, a Naturopathic Doctor, said men with the disease had to make a vital decision about types of treatment and also have to make important choices and adjustments.

He said in Ghana and for that matter Africa lack of participation in screening for the disease was influenced by several cultural factors such as lack of screening centres, health beliefs, barriers and relationships with primary healthcare providers.

Dr Obu said in Ghana about 1,000 men are diagnosed with the disease yearly and out of the number 800 die.

He said the NGO will also hold symposium during the month to educate people on the disease and called for mobile vans to enable the foundation carry out outreach programmes in the other areas.