The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it has strengthened cervical cancer screening and community education programmes across the country as part of efforts to prevent the disease and promote early detection among women.

Dr Wallace Odiko-Ollenu, Programmes Manager at the Non-Communicable Disease Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service(GHS), said consistent screening and education remain critical to reducing the impact of cervical cancer in Ghana.

He said the GHS is working to educate women and communities about cervical cancer and encourage women to undergo regular screening to enable health professionals to detect the disease at an early stage.

“We are trying well to educate communities in Ghana about cervical cancer for them to do regular screening so that they will be able to detect it early,” Dr Odiko-Ollenu said.

He made the remarks during an exclusive media briefing and one-on-one interview session following a closed-door high-level policy dialogue convened by MSD and Africa Health Business (AHB) at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Early screening remains critical

According to Dr Odiko-Ollenu, increasing awareness about cervical cancer is an important part of Ghana's prevention strategy, particularly in encouraging women to take advantage of available screening services.

He explained that early detection gives health professionals an opportunity to identify women who may be affected and connect them with the appropriate healthcare services.

The GHS is therefore working to strengthen education at the community level so that women have better knowledge about cervical cancer and understand the importance of regular screening.

Support for women diagnosed with cervical cancer

Dr Odiko-Ollenu also highlighted the support available to women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer following screening.

He said trained personnel are available to guide affected patients through the health system and help them access the appropriate care and services.

He added that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund also provides financial support to help patients who may face difficulties meeting the cost of their treatment.

The support, he noted, forms part of efforts to ensure that women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer are not left without assistance after screening.

Strengthening cervical cancer prevention in Ghana

The renewed focus on screening and public education forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Ghana.

Dr Odiko-Ollenu urged women to take cervical cancer screening seriously and encouraged communities to support efforts to raise awareness about the disease.