Early detection of breast cancer saves life

The Ghana Armed Forces has organized a free breast cancer screening for traders at the 37 bus station in Accra to mark the breast cancer awareness month.

The screening programme themed: “Early Detection Saves Life,” was done in partnership with Prudential Life Insurance Ghana, Rush Pharmaceuticals, Puma Energy and Ghana Brewery Limited.

It presented an opportunity for women and men at the bus station to screen for the disease while they were also educated on the causes and possible preventive measures.

Dr. Philip Nyinaku, Coordinator Health Promotion, 37 Military Hospital, said about 5,000 people were screened last year when the hospital held a similar screening programme, detecting a few cases.

“This year, we are teaching the people how to self-examine their breasts to enable them detect any abnormality on time because early detection helps in the treatment of the disease,” he said.

Dr. Nyinaku added that the target was to get 100-150 or even more people both females and males to patronise the free screening process.

Madam Keziah Konlaa, Principal Community Health Nurse, Public health department of the hospital, said breast cancer affected both males and females.

Symptoms of breast cancer include a lump or swelling in the breast or armpit, change in the size or shape of the breast, skin dimpling in the breast, inverted nipple, eczema-like rash on the nipple and discharge from the nipple.

Dr Daniel Mingle, Public Health Physician Specialist at the 37 Military hospitals, said the hospital choose to screen traders and commuters at the station because they were often busy and did not have the time to walk into a medical facility for screening.

“The essence of choosing this location is also to educated men that they too are at risk of having breast cancer and to encourage them to get screened,” he said. He said the free breast screening was also part of the hospital’s corporate social responsibility.