BREAST CARE INTERNATIONAL JOINS OVER 113 COUNTRIES TO CELEBRATE WORLD CANCER DAY 2021, AS GHANA’S CASES SHOOT UP.
World Cancer Day takes place every year on 4th February and is the uniting global initiative under which the world comes together to raise the profile of cancer in a positive and inspiring way. Spearheaded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the day aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and improving education about the disease while calling for action from governments and individuals across the world.
World Cancer Day 2021 is led by the theme “I Am and I Will”, an empowering call for personal commitment that represents the power of our actions taken now to reduce the growing impact of cancer.
Unlike previous years where local and international associations and communities around the world come together to hold events dedicated to raising awareness and educating about cancers, this year in light of the pandemic, the cancer community is showing considerable resilience and creativity. Many new activities will be taking place in virtual or hybrid format to replace in-person events that may no longer be allowed to take place, such as awareness walks and public seminars. The widespread impact of the pandemic will make it harder for countries to achieve certain sustainable development goals, in particular health targets and universal health coverage.
Addressing the media, Chairperson of the Ghana Non-Communicable Disease Alliance (GhNCDA), Chairperson of the Ghana Cancer Board and President of Breast Care International, Dr. (Mrs.) Beatrice Wiafe Addai stressed that, Covid-19 did not come to stop cancers, neither did it come to trade places with the cancers. She admitted that covid-19 and its attendant socio-economic challenges has deprived many of income, but said this temporary burden should not preclude people with suspected cancer cases from accessing quality health care, saying “our health, is our wealth”. She explained various strategies BCI adopted to disseminate information about breast cancer to the general public (eg using community-based information centers, radio, flyers, WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, tweeter etc.) to remind them of their Breast Self-Examination (BSE) and breast health care. She also educated the public to adhere to the covid-19 protocols, washing of hands with soap under running water, the use of face masks, the use of alcohol - based hand sanitizers and if possible stay at home.