Breast Cancer Awareness: Yoo-Naa of Dagbon calls for extension of education to rural communities

As Ghana joins the rest of the world to observe the breast cancer awareness month, the Paramount Chief of the Yoo Traditional Area of Dagbon, Yoo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani V, has called for more education on breast cancer in rural areas. He said a lot of women in rural communities are adamant of the disease and called on government to support health institutions to extend education on the disease to rural communities. Breast cancer is undoubtedly the most common invasive cancer in women. It is also the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Nearly 70 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Ghana are in advanced stage. This according to many is due especially to low awareness resulting in limited treatment success and high death rate. It is also common among Ghanaian women who present very late to health facilities. In the Northern Region alone, between 2015 and 2019, a total of 1,167 breast cancer specimen were received at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Out of this number, 431 were cancers with close to 36 percent being below 40 years. As Ghana marks the breast cancer awareness month, the Yoo-Naa of Dagbon has reiterated the need to intensify education on the disease. At a breast cancer screening organized by the chief, he noted that the disease is more prevalent in rural communities. “The education is always centered in the cities but the prevalence of the disease is in the rural communities.” He called for more investment in the health sector. “We have to prioritize health and invest in it by expanding health infrastructure to cover all rural communities for easy access.” A pathologist at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Prof. Mounir Edmund, says rural women die slowly from breast cancers without getting medical attention. He called for early and constant screening of women for breast-related diseases. Hundreds of women were screened by the medical team. Ten women were identified to have advanced stage of cancer. The Yoo-Naa has made an initial commitment of GH¢4,000 to start treatment for the women. One of the victims of the disease, Abiba Mohammed, appealed for support from the general public. By Christopher Amoako|editors.3news.com|Ghana