A United State of America based prophetess has appealed to all stakeholders in healthcare education and promotion, to intensify public education on breast cancer in rural communities.

Prophetess Mrs. Audrey Maison, Founder, and Overseer of the Audrey Maison Ministries, who made the call, said it was important for women, especially those in rural and deprived communities to have a better understanding of the disease to help them make informed decisions.

This would also help to demystify the superstition and other negative perceptions women had for breast cancer.

Prophetess Maison made the call at a free breast care screening organized by her Ministry in collaboration with the Mercy Mission for the Disadvantage in Ghana, Breast Care International, and the Asante Akim North District Directorate of Health Services, for women from rural communities in the district, at Agogo.

It formed part of activities marking the month of October as breast cancer month to raise awareness on breast cancer and the need for women to undertake regular examination of their breast and seek early treatment for any abnormality in their breasts.

Prophetess Maison said myths and misconceptions about breast cancer were preventing a lot of women from seeking early detection and treatment.

She said helping women to understand the disease would help demystify the negative perceptions and encourage the people to seek early treatment to reduce deaths caused by breast cancer.

Prophetess Maison pointed out that the situation where most women sought treatment of breast cancer at home, prayer camps, and herbalists until their situations became critical before going to health facilities, was not good for the management and treatment of the disease.

Mrs. Comfort Sey, Executive Director of Mercy Mission for the Disadvantaged in Ghana, urged the government as a matter of priority, to provide requisite funding for public education and awareness creation in rural communities to ensure early detection and treatment.

Dr. Roland Ronald Miah, District Director of Health said the directorate was ready to partner private organizations to promote quality healthcare delivery and urged women in the area to take advantage of the exercise to know their status.