The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that more than 12,000 Ghanaians die from cancer, which is considered as the fourth cause of death in Ghana, every year.
This figure only forms part of the more than 16,000 Ghanaians who contract different kinds of cancers each year, such as breast and cervical cancers which are common among women, and prostrate and liver cancers that are common among men.
While experts say the upsurge in cancer cases is a result of unhealthy eating habits, unrestricted intake of alcohol and sugar, smoking and obesity, our concern lies in the fact that most women who are diagnosed with cancer die from the disease.
Ghana currently loses about 1000 of its women every year to breast cancer and the underlying factors have been found to be ignorance of the disease, late detection and reporting for treatment, negative socio-cultural beliefs, the lack of funds for treatment, inadequate treatment and the myth that once one is diagnosed with cancer, death was imminent.
The Daily Graphic is worried that in spite of the country’s capacity to effectively prevent and treat breast cancer locally, annually, about a third of the people diagnosed with breast cancer die due to the factors mentioned earlier.
Every disease is treatable following early detection and awareness, which play a large part in prevention in the first place, and breast cancer is one such disease that can be treated.
Perhaps, we could also revise our notes on the aspects of cancers that are covered under the National Health Insurance policy to lift the burden of treatment off those with the disease and are very vulnerable.
Just as prostate and liver cancers do not kill as many men because of the awareness created about them, we believe most women could be prevented from dying prematurely from breast cancer as is happening currently.
We could start by harping on the theme for this year’s commemoration of World Cancer Day, which was “Debunk the Myths: Cancer is Preventable and Curable”.
We, therefore, urge all women to initiate treatment, by reporting any signs early, even if they are not sure what the lump is, and not use concoctions in the hope of having the lump removed as many do.
The fact that the age group that is most plagued with the disease has plummeted from 40 to 49, to 20 to 29, should be a wake-up call to all, especially to the government and health professionals, that the situation is grave and needs immediate attention.
