By Bertha Badu-Agyei/ Abigail Yadago/Georgina Agyen
Koforidua, Nov, 8, GNA - Dr Forster Amponsah-Manu, Head of Surgical Department of the Koforidua Regional Hospital, has advised women to be bold to take critical decisions concerning their health.
He said “health is life and you don’t need anyone, including your husband’s to make those critical decisions for you when it comes to life threatening diseases such as breast cancer”.
According to the surgeon, most women refused treatment for breast cancer especially when it comes to the removal of the breast for fear of losing their husbands or partners and advised them to take their life into their own hands.
He stressed that breast cancer was curable when detected early and urged women to visit the hospital immediately they detected any change whatsoever in the breast to ensure early treatment.
Dr Amponsah-Manu gave the advice at a seminar organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) in collaboration with the Department of Gender of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in Koforidua, to raise awareness on screening/early detection of breast cancer.
He strongly refuted the perception that breast cancer was a curse adding that “the truth is that as we grow, the chances of getting breast cancer becomes high, eating a lot of fruits and healthy lifestyles are good but they are not 100 per cent guarantee against any form of cancer”.
Mrs Juliana Abbey-Quaye, Acting Eastern Regional Director, Department of Gender, said women’s empowerment could not be complete without their health and urged women to take good care of their health.
She encouraged women to rise above the stereotypes such as getting permission from their husbands before going for treatment especially in the case of breast cancer.
Participants from various women organizations in the formal and informal sector including the Cancer Survivors group and markets associations, made an appeal to government to make breast cancer treatment part of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
As part of the sensitization, participants benefited from free breast cancer screening and scan.
GNA
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