4,000 Women screened for breast cancer
As part of activities which marked October as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the ASA Savings and Loans Company Limited, undertook a nationwide free breast cancer screening exercise for women.
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The exercise, which lasted for a month, was targeted at more than 4,000 women in 10 regions including Greater Accra, Central, Western, Western North, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, Ashanti, Eastern and Northern regions.
The initiative was part of the financial institution's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Reach so far
In an interview with the Daily Graphic at one of the screening exercises at Accra New Town, the Managing Director (MD) of the company, Mohammed Aourongjeb, stated that the exercise was expected to help increase breast cancer campaigns among Ghanaians, especially market women.
He said improved awareness, screening, advocacy and support would go a long way to reduce the rising incidence of breast cancer in the country.
The Accra New Town Area Manager of the ASA Savings and Loans, Pope Nii Quaye, stated that the institution was organising the exercise in support of its clients of which majority were women.
He explained that more than 90 per cent of the institution's clients were women who trade mostly in the market.
Gradual surge
A medical practitioner at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Edwin Essel, noted that there was a gradual surge in incidences of breast cancer in the country, West Africa and the world in general.
‘’Data we are gathering at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital shows that the number of people including teenagers showing signs of the disease and visiting the hospital are increasing,” he said.
He explained that breast cancer was a disease taking a lot of lives but the good thing was that when detected early, there were great chances of survival.