Editorial
Let’s prevent cancer through regular education, screening
Cancer is a dangerous illness that might cause death, therefore receiving a cancer diagnosis makes a person anxious or afraid.
Regretfully, even in situations where symptoms are detected early enough to enable treatment, certain cancers cause symptoms that cannot be relieved by supportive care or medication.
This is because cancer cells are capable of overrunning healthy cells and causing potentially fatal consequences.
Numerous families have been saddened and overburdened when loved ones and breadwinners pass away from malignancies like breast, prostate, cervical, and throat cancer, among others.
Although efforts have been made to discover a cure, the alarmingly high rate of cancer in Ghana and many other nations has not yet produced the desired outcomes. In many nations, this is placing a tremendous strain on the healthcare systems.
Cancer is a disease that knows no bounds, but according to reports, the number of teachers being affected by the disease is rising. This has raised serious concerns for the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
GNAT authorities claim that the number of their members afflicted with cancer is rising. Data from the GNAT Cancer Foundation (GCF) shows that there are 2,666 GNAT cancer patients at the Sweden Ghana Medical Center, of whom 2,388 are active duty members and 278 are retirees.
According to GNAT officials, there has been a significant increase in cancer cases among teachers in the Volta Region, namely in the Ho District, Akatsi-North, and Hohoe Municipality.
This is cause for alarm for everyone. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that, with an estimated 9.6 million fatalities, or 1 in 6 deaths, in 2018, cancer was the second most common cause of death worldwide.
The statistics are worrying, and regular screening is necessary for early identification and treatment of cancer due to its severe repercussions.
Cancer treatment places a great deal of physical, psychological, and financial burden on patients, families, communities, and health systems.
Advocacy is necessary to raise awareness about cancer and to enhance education about cancer prevention, treatment, and management strategies.
The Spectator believes that regular hospital screening is crucial to resolving the issue, since some patients neglect to check in and wait until their conditions worsen before seeking medical assistance.
To stop cancer from starting, people need to maintain a normal body weight, consume a balanced diet, exercise frequently, and abstain from tobacco use.
A good healthcare delivery system must also be prioritised by governments in order to aid in early detection and the survival of many people with cancer and other chronic diseases.
Editorial
Free sanitary pads distribution a game-changer
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your medium to commend the government of John Dramani Mahama for implementing the bold government policy to provide sanitary pads free of charge for girls.
The National Sanitary Pad Distribution Programme is one that will end the trend where young girls miss school during their menstruation periods because their parents cannot afford sanitary pads.
This is a clear interpretation of the president’s call to create and share the national resources.
The use of sanitary pads is seen in certain quarters as a preserve for the well-to-do in society. In some societies, it is pathetic seeing girls of menstruation age use old-fashioned methods to manage it.
For health and safety reasons, it is important to make sure that our girls are provided with decent material to manage their flows in comfortable and convenient ways.
The project marks an end to the era where mothers provide their daughters with cloth and tissue.
Without doubt, buying sanitary pads for two or three daughters or female relations staying with you can be very challenging sometimes due to the harsh economic conditions.
But this policy is a game-changer. What it means is that the cost has been taken by government.
For some of us parents, it is one of the ways to directly enjoy the little taxes we pay. I say well done to the government and hope that more of such social interventions would be rolled out to make life comfortable for the ordinary Ghanaian.
Lady Akushika,
Amanfrom
Editorial
Shedding light on Camara, a growing but overlooked suburb in Dansoman
Dear Editor,
I write to use your respected platform to bring attention to Camara, a small but growing suburb tucked within the Dansoman area of Accra.
For many, the name ‘Camara’ may not ring a bell and that is exactly the problem.
Though we are part of the vibrant Dansoman community, Camara is often forgotten when it comes to development, infrastructure, and public services.
This is a neighbourhood filled with potential: families, students, small businesses, and workers who contribute daily to Accra’s social and economic life.
Yet our roads remain untarred, streetlights and public facilities are few.
Security has become a growing concern, especially in the poorly lit areas.
Making Camara known is not about gaining attention for its own sake. It is about ensuring that we benefit from the development efforts enjoyed by other townships.
We need Proper street naming and signage to officially recognize the area, inclusion in municipal development plans, installation of streetlights and improved security patrols, road infrastructure and sanitation improvements, opportunities for youth engagement and education.
We deserve to be seen, heard, and supported. I appeal to urban planners, and the wider community to recognize Camara as part of the future of Dansoman.
Eugene Ampiaw,
Camara
