By: Antionette Abbah
Statistics show that 16,000 new cases of breast cancer are recorded yearly in Ghana with at least three thousand people dying of it annually.
This high mortality can be reduced by 30 percent if the disease is detected early.
The Director for Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ignatius Awinibonu disclosed this at the launch of a campaign dubbed Men in Arms Against Breast Cancer, ‘MIAA’ in Accra.
This initiative is to empower men to help detect potential cancerous lumps in the breast of their partners.
For years now, the Breast Cancer Campaign has largely focused on women in the awareness drive.
MIAA the Breast which stands for Men in Arms Against Breast Cancer by Baby Kaafo foundation is a clarion call to men all over the world to join their partners in the fight Against Breast Cancer.
The Director for Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ignatius Awinibonu said creation of public awareness, self-care and examination have been identified as key to reducing high breast cancer mortality. He said it is crucial for men to play an active role in the early detection of lumps in the breasts of their partners for early diagnosis and treatment.
A General Surgeon at the Nyaho Medical Centre, Dr. Romeo Hussey said though the National Health Insurance covers some Chemotherapy medicines, it does not cover biopsy of the disease which is crucial in the early detection of the disease.
He therefore appealed to the government to do something about it to encourage more people to seek early intervention.
The founder of Baby Kaafo foundation, Joseph Narnor, said the MIAA the Breast Campaign seeks to train 100,000 men in October as they are the second highest category of person who touch the breast. Gold certificates will be given to men who successfully complete breast examination training.
Platinum level certificates will however, be given to men who take at least two women for screening every month or their partners testify after that their men have started examining their breasts after the training.
