By
Stephen Appiah/ Portia Addo, GNA
Accra, Oct.22, GNA – Mrs Florence Dedey, the
Head of the Breast Unit at the Surgery Department of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
in Accra, said this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness examination has increased as
compared to the previous years.
Mrs Dedey said, ‘’last year we had 16 partner
hospitals participating and this year so far we have about 30, with 563
patients examined and about 165 level of patronage, so even the number of hospitals doing it have almost
doubled. And it seems to be on a more wide-spread scale’’.
She said, in addition to the free screening,
they go to media houses in Accra to talk about breast cancer awareness and the
information they are sending across was for women to be free from breast cancer
by regularly visiting the hospital each month for x-ray and ultra-sound that
form part of the screening process.
Adding, the purpose of screening is to be able
to catch and detect the breast cancer early if it is to occur, so that it can
be treated effectively and be able to be cured.
Mrs Dedey said, ‘’just from the examination,
it is difficult to say someone has cancer. Before you make diagnosis a of a cancer,
first of all, you have to examine the person, and have taken x-rays and
ultra-sound. You have to take a biopsy so you need to put a needle into
whatever you find and send some to the lab, and it is only the lab that can
definitely confirm that someone has a cancer ‘’.
She said, they were looking forward to
extending the date beyond October because there were a lot of people still
coming for the examination.
“The information we are sending across is for
women to examine their breasts so as breast awareness, as we put it every month
they go to the hospital regularly to have x-ray and that form part of the
screening process.
“Over the weekends, we went to the Junction
mall and Accra mall to spread the information and examine them there.”
She said apart from the free screening month,
they went to media houses to talk about breast cancer in Accra and spread the
message across starting from the beginning of October with a launch.
GNA