Ghana records over 8,000 deaths from cancer-related diseases

Ghana recorded 8,037 deaths from cancer-related diseases in 2020, revealed Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, former chair of the Ghana Cancer Board.

Giving the breakdown, the consulting surgeon said on the figure, 2,055 related to breast cancer, 3,166 to liver cancer, 1,117 to prostate and 1,699 to cervical cancer.

She said that a total of around 24,000 cases of cancer had been diagnosed during the reporting period.

Dr Wiafe Addai, in an interview on the sidelines of World Cancer Day commemoration in Oduom in Oforikrom Municipality of Ashanti region, described cancer as a silent killer.

The top four cancer-related diseases most prevalent in the country, she noted, were breast, liver, prostate and cervical cancers, saying early detection of cancers was essential. to prevent them from harming the patient.

She called on Ghanaians to avail themselves of regular screening to identify any abnormalities in their bodies that could be linked to any of the cancer-related diseases in order to improve their well-being.

World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness about cancer and encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.

This year’s commemoration was held under the auspices of the International Union for the Fight against Cancer (UICC) under the theme: “I am and I will.”

Dr (Mrs.) Wiafe Addai, President and Founder of Breast Care International (BCI), and also President of the Ghana Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Alliance, said the country should focus on the future. “

“Cancers do not discriminate,” warned the consultant surgeon, saying that they would stay with us forever and that, as such, all hands must be on the bridge to fight against these diseases.

Dr Samuel Amanamah, a consulting urologist, suggested that eight in ten men going to the office for prostate-related cases did so when their situation had reached an advanced stage.

Therefore, he advised Ghanaian men aged 45 and over to go to the hospital as soon as possible for testing in order to detect prostate-related diseases for their benefit.