First ever Globeathon to End Women Cancers takes place in Kumasi
Hundreds of people, particularly women gathered at the Manhyia Palace Park in Kumasi to participate in the first ever Breast Care International and Globeathon Event to End Women Cancers.
Participants in Kumasi joined millions of other people in over 80 countries across the globe by continuously engaging in activities to show solidarity with women who suffer from various types of cancers.
High ranking traditional rulers, representing the Asantehene, state officials, medical practitioners, security professionals, media, students, churches and other organized groups engaged in activities to create awareness and educate the public about cancers affecting women.
The novel event combined health education with fun games that sustained the interest of the participants in what has now been described as a health picnic by media commentators who have rated the event as a five star program.
The Globeathon Event to End Women Cancers has become necessary due to the devastating effect the disease is having on the life of women. Globeathon was a call for advocacy groups, healthcare professionals, survivors, government officials and policy makers and the lay public to unify their global efforts in a common goal of fostering public awareness and education about women cancers.
The Ghana country captain of Globeathon, Dr (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who extensively quoted statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer that indicate that cancers affecting women accounted for 19% of the 5.1 million estimated new cancer cases that caused the death of 2.9 million women in 2002, said action must be taken to address the situation now.
Over the same period, cervical cancer accounted for 493,000 new cases and 273,000 deaths; uterine body cancer for 199,000 new cases and 50,000 deaths; ovarian cancer for 204,000 cases and 125,000 deaths; cancers of the vagina, vulva and choriocarcinoma together constituted 45,900 cases. More than 80% of the cervical cancer cases occurred in developing countries.
In a welcome address, she said it is needless to remain unconcern as cancer kills women when action can be taken by stakeholders to find a solution to what she described as a “menace”.
She said women constitute the backbone of several households in Ghana and other developing countries and in view of the key role they play in the socio-economic development of any community, it has become imperative to address their concerns.
Dr. (Mrs) Wiafe Addai, who is the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals and President of Breast Care International (BCI) therefore called on stakeholders to join the fight against women cancers.
The President of the Ghana Medical association (GMA), Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Adusei, said breast and cervical cancer cases are on the increase at the major referral centers in the country.
He said the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi recorded 4,470 cancer cases between 2004 and 2011, with 3,374 (75%0 being women, whiles 1,096 (25%) were men.
He appealed to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to release land for the construction of a cancer registry to serve as center of research into cancer.
The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Samuel Yaw Adusei urged breast cancer patients to seek expert care and treatment from the right sources and not rely on unconventional methods.
He also praised BCI and Peace and Love Hospitals for creating awareness and educating the public about breast cancer.
Participants were given education on women cancers that included; breast, ovarian, vulvar, vaginal, cervical and prostate.
The para-medical team of Peace and Love Hospital conducted a free clinical breast screening exercise to create awareness and help women to know their status with regard to Breast Cancer.
The Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, praised BCI for organizing the event and also urged the women to pay critical attention to their health.
