The President of the Breast Care International (BCI), Dr Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, has observed that “Some patients come with end-stage conditions of cancer, following pro­longed days at quack health facili­ties.”

Dr Wiafe-Addai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Peace and Love Hospitals, said the trend where “cancer treatment in Ghana is mired in superstition and bogged down by mounting financial challeng­es,” was worrying.

She indicated that this at Beposo, in the Bosomtwe district of the Ashanti region, on World Cancer Day 2025, which was observed on Tuesday, under the theme: ‘United by Unique.’

World Cancer Day aims to improve awareness and knowledge of cancer so that it can be better detected and treated.

The day, organised by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), brought scores of residents and stu­dents of Beposo for sensitisation on the disease.

According to her, it was important to wage “a sustained, vigorous edu­cation on cancers countrywide for the people to be enlightened about the disease and change the belief that the disease has spiritual elements.”

Furthermore, Dr Wiafe-Addai stated that the high cost of cancer treatment of has put most of the survivors into poverty, and that there was the need to support them, “because everybody is a potential cancer and other com­municable disease patient.”

She then urged the government, as a matter of urgency, to put cancer patients on the Livelihood Empow­erment Against Poverty (LEAP) as a source of support for them.

In her suggestion to help increase cancer education in Ghana, she called for the evolution of people-centred programmes and policies to amelio­rate the plight of cancer patients.

“A people’s centred approach leads to improved patients’ well-being, higher quality care, and increased trust in healthcare providers,” she stated, adding that people-centred care included initiatives such as com­munity health programmes tailored to local health issues and cultural competence training for healthcare providers, among others.

Dr Wiafe Addai advised women not to treat cancer-related diseases spiri­tually but rather to seek early med­ical attention “because the disease is not caused by any supernatural activity.”

“The cancer disease is curable, pre­ventable, and treatable. At least visit your hospitals for a thorough medical checkup once a year to prevent esca­lation of the disease,” she added.

Dr Cary Adams, CEO of UICC noted that the theme (United By Unique) recognised that “every experience with cancer was unique and everyone has unique needs, unique perspectives and a unique story to tell, that people touched by cancer are improved, are united in a shared ambition to see governments implement policies to improve cancer prevention.”

Nana Atakora Bonsrah I, the Care­taker of Ankaase, expressed gratitude to Breast Care International and their partners for the sensitisation and screening of the residents in the area to create the awareness on cancer.

He said the awareness creation was the best way to prevent the disease, and called on stakeholders in the health sector, individuals and corpo­rate organisations to get involved in the fight against cancer.

 From Kingsley E. Hope, Kum