By Seli Baisie
Dr. Barbara Entsuah, Physician, Family Medicine Physician and Fellow at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons has urged individuals to do self-breast examination and also go for clinical breast examination in order to spot early signs of breast cancer.
As today, October 13, 2021 marked ‘No Bra Day’, Dr. Barbara said people should not forget the main purpose of the celebration.
She urged the public to first go and see a doctor or Health Practitioner, before they self-examined their breasts.
“A Health Practitioner, teaches you how to properly, self-examine your breast. A lot of people will say, I don’t even know what I am looking for. So, it is always nice to have that first exam done by your physician because she will let you know, I did your exams, I didn’t feel anything and then you can be confident to do it on your own. And there are certain times we advise you to do it, in terms of your menstrual cycle.”
According to Dr. Barbara Entsuah, statistics show 3,000 people die out of breast cancer every year, and it is the number one cancer causing death in Ghana. Before it was cervical cancer, now it is breast cancer.
She said it is important that because of breast cancer, and cervical cancer one needs to be screened.
“It is on paper, in terms of policies of the Ghana Health Service. They advocate clinical breast exams, which are breast exams done by a physician or health professional and then a self-breast exam. The important thing is that everything that is on paper should be translated into action. That is not been done because a lot of people are not trained in terms of health professionals to do it well.’’ she stated.
Dr. Barbara Entsuah, also disclosed that, breast cancer occurs earlier in the lives of people in Ghana than some of the Western countries, and it could be as a result of genetics.
“Not that they are more prone, but they turn to die more because they are not getting treated early.’’
She said programs like the GTV Breakfast show, is a way of educating the public on Breast Cancer and more education should be done through social organizations, health fairs and more.
Dr. Barbara Entsuah, also took the viewers through how to self-examine their breasts.
She further explained there are three prone approaches to detecting breast cancer. These are self-examination, using mobile devices and through mammogram examination.
“You can use mobile devices to detect breast cancer. Some use infrared technology.”
She concluded by saying that breast size doesn’t affect your risk for developing breast cancer, that women with smaller breasts are also necessarily prone to breast cancer.
Watch the full video below;
