The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Justina Nelson, has urged women to undergo regular breast cancer screening throughout the year rather than wait until October, which is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
She said regular checks and early detection could save lives, urging women to make their health a priority despite their work and family responsibilities.
“We do not need to wait for October to be able to get screened as women. October is a month that is to create awareness. However, as women, regular checks should be encouraged because early detection can save lives,” she said.
Mrs Nelson was speaking at a breast cancer awareness and screening event organised by Women in Mining Ghana in partnership with the MIIF at The Palms by Eagles in Accra on October 23, on the theme: “Investing in Women’s Health, Investing in Stronger Communities”.
Health, wealth
Mrs Nelson said breast cancer awareness should go beyond conversations to practical action, including screening, health education and prompt reporting of symptoms to healthcare professionals.
She said the MIIF’s responsibility to invest the country’s mineral wealth for national development must go hand in hand with protecting the health and well-being of the people who would benefit from it.
“At the Minerals Income Investment Fund, we invest Ghana’s wealth to support national development and secure a future for generations to come. But true development goes beyond financial returns. It must also protect human lives and improve well-being,” she said.
She said women played important roles in the country’s development, particularly in the mining industry, where they worked as professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders.
She said their contributions should be matched with the attention and investment needed to protect their health.
She also called on both men and women to pay attention to changes in their own breast health, seek medical advice when necessary and encourage the women in their lives to undergo screening.
“Together, let us replace stigma with understanding, fear with information, and silence with conversations that can save lives,” she said.
Mrs Nelson called on institutions and leaders to move beyond awareness campaigns and create workplaces that supported the health and well-being of their workers.
Self-care
The President of Women in Mining Ghana, Rosemary Oppong Kwasie, said promoting women’s empowerment should go beyond professional and economic opportunities to include their health, safety, dignity and general well-being.
“A healthy woman is better positioned to pursue her ambitions, support her family and contribute meaningfully to her community,” she said.
She also called on traditional leaders and other stakeholders to help break the silence, fear and misconceptions that sometimes prevented women from seeking medical attention.
Prioritise yourself
The Divisional Queenmother of Lante Dzan We, HRN Naa Lamiley Ajaaku Dromo II, urged women to stop neglecting their health while caring for their families and meeting society’s expectations.
She said women were often raised to put others first, a practice that could lead them to ignore their own needs and health concerns.
She said women needed to set boundaries and recognise that caring for themselves was just as important as caring for others.
