An initiative dubbed “Beat Breast Cancer” aimed at tackling breast cancer in Ghana was on Wednesday launched in Accra.
The “Beat Breast Cancer” initiative seeks to improve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
The project is initiated by Jhpiego Ghana with funding from Pfizer Foundation, and support from the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service.
In a speech read on his behalf the Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, emphasised the need for access to quality diagnosis and treatment, stronger policies, and improved capacity for healthcare providers and community leaders.
He urged Ghanaians to focus on education, prevention, early detection, and access to treatment, saying that breast cancer was not just an individual or institutional fight but a battle for everyone.
The minister stressed that by working together, the country could change the narrative and prevent women from being diagnosed too late.
He encouraged healthcare professionals to continue providing quality care to breast cancer patients and called on corporate Ghana and development partners to invest both financially, technically in fighting the disease to save lives.
The Country Director of Jhpiego, Dr Pearl Nanka-Bruce, noted that breast cancer remained a serious health burden in Ghana, adding that in 2022 alone, over 5,000 women were diagnosed with the disease, with nearly 47 per cent of them losing their lives.
“The high death rate is due to late diagnosis and limited access to treatment, a gap the project hopes to close,” she said.
She said the project aims to make screening more accessible so that women do not have to travel long distances to major hospitals like Korle Bu before getting checked.
“The three-year project will focus on Greater Accra, Ashanti, and the Northern regions to raise awareness, integrate clinical breast examinations into primary healthcare, improve access to diagnostics, and strengthen treatment systems,” she said.
According to Dr Nanka-Bruce, the goal was to ensure that breast cancer is detected and treated early, preventing unnecessary deaths.
Furthermore she said the project would help reduce the long wait time for diagnosis, “Currently, it can take a woman up to one year to be diagnosed, but the goal is to shorten this period to two months”.
“After diagnosis, the next challenge is accessing treatment. Most treatment options are available only in major teaching hospitals, making it difficult for many patients to continue care due to high costs,” she explained.
Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, stressed the need for a nationwide media campaign to spread awareness and educate the public.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
