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
Fix railway crossing point on Circle-Kaneshie road
Dear Editor,
After the construction of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Accra Dubai), Ghanaian were full of belief that it could solve at least a few of the problems drivers and commuters faced.
But currently, any regular user of the area would confirm that things have rather skyrocketed.
Sanitation is a big issue as the area. Traffic congestion has become something else while street lights and traffic lights in the area are nonfunctional.
Making matters worse is the regular traffic on the stretch of the Circle-Kaneshie caused by the bad nature of the railway crossing.
It is so bad that motorist are forced to slow down to cross from whichever direction they are coming from.
During the rainy season, it becomes worse as vehicles break down in the large pool of water that gathers at the place.
I wish to appeal to the Roads and Highways ministry or whichever agency is responsible for road maintenance to fix that part of the road.
As a result, public transport operators are forced to divert routes to avoid that area and in the process, causing commotion between drivers and passengers.
I feel that problem must be fixed before the rains set in. Thank you for the space.
Awuah Martin,
Kasoa, C/R
Editorial
Make celebration of Heritage Month compulsory
Heritage or Ghana Month is an annual event held in March to commemorate Ghana’s Independence and rich cultural heritage.
The event, which is celebrated across the country is gradually gaining momentum as schools and organisations have been patronising the event with various activities and programmes displaying Ghana’s rich culture.
Recently, in a vibrant display of Ghana’s culture students of Antoa Senior High School in the Ashanti Region joined forces with the Centre for National Culture (CNC) to launch the 2025 Ghana Month celebration.
According to our reporter, the event was a mixture of traditional cloth demonstrations, dance lessons, poetry recitals, and proverbs competitions as students and staff donned colourful traditional attires, showcasing their rich cultural heritage with infectious enthusiasm.
Some organisation like media houses were also not left out in the celebration of Ghana Month with Newscasters dressed in their traditional attires showcasing their culture while reading the news.
Such celebrations should be encouraged as one of the excited students of Antoa SHS exclaimed, “I never knew how rich our Ghanaian culture was until today. I’m proud to be Ghanaian.” This is a testimony of how the celebration will remind students of their roots and instill in them national values.
Ghana has so many cultures which are hidden and its time to make these cultures to project our rich Ghanaian culture to the outside world.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) should collaborate with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ghana Dance Ensemble to make the Ghana Month more visible in schools by organising activities to educate students on Ghanaian cultural values and norms, to promote national pride and identity.
The Spectator encourages the organisers to extend the celebration to more schools. This can be done through debates, essay writing competitions, among others to share Ghana’s rich heritage. It will help to revive the cultural spirit among the youth to become ambassadors of Ghana’ culture.
GTA must also take advantage of Ghana Month and team up with the hospitality industry such as restaurants, hoteliers, Chop Bar operators, among others to organise a traditional cuisine festival like cooking and eating competitions among organisations and associations to boost tourism in Ghana. Such competitions will give people insight into the preparations of Ghanaian local foods and drinks, and promote healthy living in families. The fashion industry should also come on board to help take Ghana Month a notch higher.
In the words of the Acting Regional Director of the CNC in the Ashanti Region, Mr Peter Kofi Marfo “Let us Wear Ghana, Eat Ghana, See Ghana, Speak Ghana, Hear and Dance Ghana, together, we’ll keep our cultural flame burning bright.”
The Spectator is hopeful that by making the celebration of Ghana Month compulsory. Ghanaians will remain committed to promoting their rich culture and heritage, for future generations.
