Dr Kwaku Aning, the Board Chairman of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), has advised Ghanaians
to prioritise their wellness through frequent health screening, for early detection of illnesses that may develop into
cancers.
He said this was important, as proven by research that early diagnosis of breast and prostate cancers resulted in 90
per cent successful treatment, giving vast chances for patient survival.
“Unfortunately, most people in Ghana, report to health facilities at the very late stage of their illness, when nothing
can be done about their condition, only to add up to the global statistics and Africa’s souring mortality rates,
especially with the cancers,” he said.
Dr Aning gave the advice at the media launch of the 2024 Cancer Awareness programme organised by the
Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI), in collaboration with the GAEC Hospital, other
health facilities and partners.
He said the devastating impact of cancers on individuals, families and communities worldwide had been widely
documented by the WHO showing that annually, the disease killed more people than malaria, HIV and tuberculosis
(TB) combined.
Breast cancer accounted for 12 per cent of all global cases diagnosed, and that one in eight women would develop
the disease within their lifetime.
In 2022, there were about 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer globally, with 670,000 mostly from
developing countries, and in Ghana it was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths only after liver cancer,
“with some males cases detected during our last year’s screening programme,” he said.
All that the good doctor has stated points to the fact that health screening is not something that most Ghanaians
believe in. Or can afford.
Ordinarily, the Ghanaian would look for a medical doctor or a related expert only when it is almost too late to do
anything about the ailment he or she is suffering from. The fact is that most physical ailments are preventable or
curable, if detected early. The key, however, is in detecting the ailment at its early stages.
This is why the Daily Searchlight suggests that the government, through the Ministry of Health, has a responsibility
to engage with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the media to ensure regular and intensive
training for the population as to the need to adopt a habit of regular health screening.
That said, the fact also remains that seeking out a medical doctor in Ghana is prohibitive in terms of cost. It therefore
also raises the need for the nation to find a way to produce more medical doctors at a more cost-effective rate.
This would in turn ensure that medical services cost less, which would give individuals in the nation greater access.
(Editorial of the Daily Searchlight of 11 th September, 2024).
