Advocacy Group demands government equip hospitals to improve breast cancer treatment

Meena Breast Cancer Foundation has called on the government to as a matter of urgency equip health facilities across the country with breast cancer treatment machines to reduce the high mortality rates.

According to the Director of Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, breast cancer ranks as the second-leading cause of death among women globally as statistics in Ghana alone in 2020 shows that  4,482 cases were recorded with 2,085 deaths.

Mr Oppong Kwarteng during an address at a press conference believes these numbers are not a true representation of the situation in Ghana adding that there are poor records as people, especially women do not know their status.

Speaker after speaker at the event addressed among other things the rising fatalities among breast cancer patients, lack of accessible breast care due to high treatment costs, and the decline in sensitization campaigns concerning the disease.

  

The MBCF was established in honour of the late Mrs. Amina Oppong Kwarteng to fulfill her vision of a comprehensive advocacy campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide vital support to those affected by the disease.

Mrs Oppong Kwarteng shockingly lost her life to breast cancer on June 18, 2022.

The Executive Director of MBCF said it is disheartening to know that patients had to struggle on a daily basis to receive treatment at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, a major referral centre due to frequent breakdown of machines. “There’s the need to retool breast cancer units at the hospitals,” he said.

In addition to the high cost of treatment, lack of education and misconceptions are causing people to use all kinds of concoctions for treatment leading to an increase in mortality, Mr. Kwarteng asserted.

“Educate young girls on breast cancer and breast care. The National Commission for Civic Education should champion education on the menace.”

“Radiotherapy costs between 12,000 and 50,000 in public and private  hospitals respectively. There is a need to include the cost of biopsy and pathology in the National Health Insurance Scheme and make chemotherapy free for patients,” he said.

He also called on the health management authorities in Ghana to establish help desks at the oncology departments for counseling.

“Patients should be given enough education on the management of breast cancer and the kind of food they eat.”

Meanwhile, Meena Breast Cancer Foundation, is constructing a Breast Cancer Clinic on the campus of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School at Gomoa Potsin in the Central Region. The facility will screen for diagnosis of breast cancer and for general health services.

Since the establishment of the foundation in October 2022, it has been giving financial support to women with breast cancer cases.

 Even though some of these beneficiaries passed away due to the advanced nature of their cases, the foundation is, however, providing financial support to their surviving children.

He said breast cancer awareness campaigns and screening should not be limited to October alone, adding that continually doing it throughout the year will reduce the needless mortality rates  among women.

In fulfillment of its campaign, the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation has been embarking on nationwide screening and campaign to increase awareness about the deadly disease.

Mr. Oppong Kwarteng said the focus of the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation is not only to provide financial support for breast cancer patients but it has been embarking  on intensive education and sensitisation across the country on the need for early detection and treatment.

An Oncology Nurse at the Breast Cancer Unit of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital and a Board Member of MBCF, Eric Odei Brobbey revealed that the lack of proper breast cancer treatment equipment in hospitals across the country has worsened the plights of patients.

He specifically mentioned that the whole of the Northern parts of Ghana does not have a mammogram machine for breast screening.

He also bemoaned the lack of proper procedures for nurses to follow when patients report to health facilities with signs of breast cancer.

“We live in a country where there is no proper protocol when it comes to breast cancer. If someone detects a lamb in a village somewhere, they should know what to do and direct patients accordingly to the appropriate health facility with proper records.

“There should be a proper referral system but it’s not like that in our case and that is why you see a woman in a village clinic and they (nurses) examine and put the woman on antibiotics thinking that it’s an inflammatory disease meanwhile, it’s breast cancer. So there is supposed to be proper protocol and policy documentation which is long overdue.”

He also revealed that aside from the high cost of breast cancer treatment, the majority of breast cancer patients who seek treatment travel long distances to receive care at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, a major setback to the fight against the deadly disease.

“Why not get oncology centers if not at district hospitals even at the regional ones?

I was shocked when I heard the whole of the three Northern Regions don’t have mammogram machines. How do we treat breast cancer?” Mr. Brobbey queried.

Increasing Cases Among Young Women

Meanwhile, a member of the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation campaign team,  Dorothy Kesewah Denkyi underscored the need for women; both young and old, to go for breast screening regularly adding that cases are becoming common among young women.

According to her, some patients rely on counter drugs because they do not have the means to afford hospital treatment which comes at heavy costs.

Madam Denkyi also called on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to invest in decentralising cancer centres to help save lives.

The primary goal of the organization is to elevate awareness surrounding breast cancer, offering crucial screening opportunities for both women and men across Ghana. The campaign will extend its reach to tertiary and secondary educational institutions, as well as various communities, aiming to educate and inform about the disease and its prevention.

revealed that the lack of proper breast cancer treatment equipment in hospitals across the country has worsened the plights of patients.

He specifically mentioned that the whole of the Northern parts of Ghana does not have a mammogram machine for breast screening.

He also bemoaned the lack of proper procedures for nurses to follow when patients report to health facilities with signs of breast cancer.

“We live in a country where there is no proper protocol when it comes to breast cancer. If someone detects a lamb in a village somewhere, they should know what to do and direct patients accordingly to the appropriate health facility with proper records.

“There should be a proper referral system but it’s not like that in our case and that is why you see a woman in a village clinic and they (nurses) examine and put the woman on antibiotics thinking that it’s an inflammatory disease meanwhile, it’s breast cancer. So there is supposed to be proper protocol and policy documentation which is long overdue.”

He also revealed that aside from the high cost of breast cancer treatment, the majority of breast cancer patients who seek treatment travel long distances to receive care at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, a major setback to the fight against the deadly disease.

“Why not get oncology centers if not at district hospitals even at the regional ones?

I was shocked when I heard the whole of the three Northern Regions don’t have mammogram machines. How do we treat breast cancer?” Mr. Brobbey queried.

Increasing Cases Among Young Women

Meanwhile, a member of the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation campaign team,  Dorothy Kesewah Denkyi underscored the need for women; both young and old, to go for breast screening regularly adding that cases are becoming common among young women.

According to her, some patients rely on counter drugs because they do not have the means to afford hospital treatment which comes at heavy costs.

Madam Denkyi also called on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to invest in decentralising cancer centres to help save lives.

The primary goal of the organization is to elevate awareness surrounding breast cancer, offering crucial screening opportunities for both women and men across Ghana. The campaign will extend its reach to tertiary and secondary educational institutions, as well as various communities, aiming to educate and inform about the disease and its prevention.