Parliament has been urged to promote policies that will make breast cancer screening affordable and accessible to the people, particularly women and girls.
Such policies should be able to encourage more people to go for screening to detect the disease early to improve victims chances of survival.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who said this, added that the role of the House must extend beyond awareness creation to policy, legislation, oversight and practical support.
“We must continue to support policies that promote accessibility and affordable screening,” he added.
This was contained in an address read on the Speaker’s behalf at the launch of this year’s breast health awareness campaign screening and counselling exercise in Parliament in Accra, yesterday.
The event, which was on the theme: “Early action, better outcomes,” brought together physician specialists from Parliament Medical and the Greater Accra Regional
Hospital to undertake screening and counselling exercise for staff of Parliament.
It was jointly organised by Parliament and the Korle Klottey Municipal Health Directorate.
Promotion
Mr Bagbin asked “what happens if you discover a lump and there is no access to the health centre?
What happens if you discover a lump and you cannot afford?
“So Parliament must encourage policies that will strengthen these aspects and we must also promote workplace and public institutions where people feel encouraged to seek medical attention without fear, stigma and discrimination,” he said.
The Speaker further said that efforts must be made to combat breast cancer beyond public education to include practical measures that would remove financial and other barriers preventing people from accessing screening and medical care.
Statistics
Mr Bagbin said that there was an estimated 5,500 new breast cancer cases in the country each year, out of which about 50 per cent of them died of the disease.
He advised women not to allow fear, family responsibilities or other considerations to prevent them from seeking medical attention.
“If you find a lump, if you find something unusual about the breast, do not say I will do it next month.
Do not say I need permission from my husband and do not say I have to look after the children,” he said, adding that “you must be alive to look after the children”.
The Speaker, therefore, encouraged the public to take advantage of screening opportunities rather than wait until symptoms become severe.
He further called for an end to stigma and discrimination against people who had undergone treatment for breast cancer, including those who had undergone mastectomy.
Participation
The Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, called for greater participation of women in science and the development of diagnostic and treatment technologies tailored to women's needs.
“We need more women at the helm of innovation when it comes to the equipment for diagnosis and treatment, especially looking through the lens of women,” the MP for Korle Klottey added.
The Clerk-to-Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, also encouraged investment in accessible breast cancer services.
He called on the media to give greater attention to health education and awareness creation.
