The Tema West Municipal Education Directorate has organized a free breast cancer sensitization and screening for teachers, with a call on them to take proper care of their breasts.
The teachers, mostly females, were advised to regularly examine their breasts for early detection of abnormalities and seek early medical care.
The one day’s sensitization programme implemented by the Girls Education Unit, screened and sensitized public, private basic and second cycle teachers on breast cancer.
The first of its kind, the programme was part of the month-long campaign in October to increase awareness and support, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Public Health Nurse, Tema West Municipal Health Directorate, Justina Suapim, taking participants through a presentation said, breast cancer was by far the most common cancer in women worldwide.
This, she said, called for sufficient knowledge and awareness creation on the causes and symptoms to enable women, especially teachers, to detect the disease early as that provided adequate curative treatment.
She said awareness of early signs and symptoms and subsequent screening by clinical breast examination was key to dealing with the disease which in many cases had proven to be deadly.
According to her, the cost of treatment for breast cancer in the country deterred some women from seeking medical treatment and rather resorted to spiritual remedies which mostly led to avoidable deaths and disabilities.
Miss Yacoba Otoo, Girls’ Education Coordinator, Ghana Education Service, Tema West Municipality, speaking to the Ghana News Agency, said the number of recorded cases of breast cancer among women was increasing thus the need for continuous education and screening.
She said “promoting healthy living among teachers is key since there won’t be learners if there are no teachers, and for this reason we have to ensure a healthy teacher population.”
Ms Lydia Anyateng Atiirimbey, Public Relations Officer, Ghana Education Service, Tema West and Mrs Derrica Awagbe, Staff of the Directorate, both organizers of the event, noted that the welfare of teachers was paramount to the directorate and the month of October was opportune to provide breast cancer screening and education for teachers.
Present at the event was Mr Francis Steele, Municipal Director of Education and Madam Vida Budu Williams, Municipal Coordinator, School Health Education Programme (SHEP) and other heads of schools.
