Presbyterian minister's wives attend breast cancer workshop

Breast Care International, a non-governmental organization, in collaboration with Peace and Love Hospital, has organized breast cancer training workshop for the Presbyterian Ministers Wives Association at Koforidua.

The workshop is designed to train participants to engage their local congregations and communities to seek breast screening by trained health care professionals.

Addressing the opening ceremony Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Breast Care International (BCI), said research had proved that breast cancer kills more women than TB, HIV and malaria.

She mentioned some barriers which prevent people from receiving breast care health services as lack of awareness, inadequate or bad treatment, cost, distance, lack of counseling and support for the breast cancer patients.

Dr Addai said her outfit would soon start an education programme in senior high schools to introduce the issue to young girls at an early age.

She called for regular breast cancer checks for early detection and treatment of the disease to help reduce the number of cases being reported daily.

Dr. Edward Debrah Wiafe, lecturer at the Presbyterian University College, Ghana, commended the ministers’ wives for being the first organization in th Presbyterian Church to undergo the training.

He urged the minister’s wives to propagate the message to their congregants in other to achieve the needed results.

Mr. Michael Teye Nyawonu, former Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Constituency, advised the participants to go to the rural communities to disseminate the information.

He urged suspected breast cancer patients not to read meanings into the disease but seek early medical help.

Mrs Rosekel Omenyo, President of the Presbyterian Minister’s Wives Association, said it was important for every woman to receive appropriate information and knowledge on breast health issues in order to take prompt action towards early cancer detection.

She said that would help to reduce the rate at which women are dying in the country from breast cancer.

Mrs. Omenyo said it was for this reason that the Association had taken the lead in making sure that all the Presbyteries would benefit from the training programme.

Mr Charles Agyemang Fordjour, Project Leader of Roche Company, major sponsor of the training said, they were delighted to support the programme in educating and thereby empowering women in female health issues.