The president of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr. (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, has said prayer camps and spirituality have no place in providing a solution to the increasing number of breast cancer cases in Ghana. Instead, she wants a focus on science and early reporting of cases at health facilities. While not downplaying the importance of prayer, Dr. (Mrs.) Wiafe-Addai, said after breast cancer diagnosis, seeking help at an approved health facility for early treatment was the solution.
Currently, 4,600 Ghanaians are diagnosed of breast cancer each year out of which 2,000 are killed by the disease. "The increase in cases and mortality are due to the fact that people still believe that taking in herbal concoctions and visiting prayer camps will bring healing to them. "Breast cancer is not a result of a curse of witchcraft. There's a solution for it once to our seek early help at a health facility," Dr (Mrs) Wiafe-Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospital said at Tepa on Saturday.
Occasion
She was speaking at the 10th annual national Breast Cancer Ghana Walk held at Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North district. It was under the theme: "Breast cancer won't rest, so why should we?" It was the first time the exercise, meant to educate people on the disease was being held outside a regional capital. Dr. (Mrs) Wiafe-Addai said Tepa was chosen because of the special role the chief of the traditional area, Nana Adusei Atwenewaa Ampem I, has played in the fight against the disease and also to honour him on his 60th birthday.
She said the disease does not only affect the breast but spreads to other parts of the body which if not taken care of, could lead to death. The president of Breast Care International seized the opportunity to take people through self-examination while organizing free screening for everyone.