Cancer screening need more resources (graphic business)

AT a recent press briefing in Accra, the Cancer Control Focal Person of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Kofi Nyarko, indicated the need for government to commit more resources to the effective screening of cervical cancer in the country.
Cervical cancer has been identified as the most common cancer affecting women in Ghana and the lack of an effective and systematic national testing or treatment as compared to developed countries is increasing the cases of the disease.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) study showed that 18 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ghana is due to cervical cancer. The study also identified cervical cancer as the leading cause of cancers in women in Ghana.
Looking at the seriousness of the issue of cervical cancer in Ghana, the country has made necessary arrangements to host a three-day international meeting involving African First Ladies, African Ministers of Health and Members of Parliament (MPs) scheduled between July 25 and 27, to discuss strategies for reducing cervical cancer in Africa.
Dubbed, “The Fourth Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa”, the conference, which will also be attended by medical doctors and other health practitioners, is on the theme: “Africa unite in action, mobilising political and financial support to strengthen cervical cancer prevention”.
The conference is being hosted by the Ghana Government, in collaboration with Princess Nikky Breast and Cervical Cancer Foundation, a Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation at the forefront of breast and cervical cancer prevention and control in Africa.
It has the aim of advocating increased awareness on cervical cancer in Africa, as well as mobilising for effective strategy implementation through working with other partners in order to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
It also has the objective to mobilise the needed resources for the development of policies, strategies and action to fight cervical cancer at national, regional and international levels.
Cervical cancer affects tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Available cervical cancer statistics indicate that globally, about 274,000 deaths were recorded annually, out of which 61,000 (78 per cent) of those deaths were from Africa. About 79,000 women are diagnosed of cervical cancer in Africa each year.
It is significant to note that women in developing world had the highest risk of developing cervical cancer because few are effectively screened.
In a paper presented to journalists during the pre-conference press briefing, Dr Nyarko pointed out although there had been interventions in Ghana such as the ‘Cervicare Project’ to prevent and treat cervical cancer, there was the need for a systematic national campaign to increase awareness of the disease.
The Health Minister Dr Benjamin Kunbuor quoted from a WHO study which stated that 18 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ghana was due to cervical cancer.
Unfortunately, most of the cancers seen at the country’s health facilities were said to be in advanced cases which could have been cured if they had been detected early. It is also a known fact that management of those advanced cases was very expensive.
“Prevention, early detection and treatment of early stages of cervical cancer is very cost effective and has good outcome,” Ghana’s Health Minister advised.
He expressed the hope that the hope that conference would accelerate Ghana’s efforts at advocacy and awareness creation, as well as enhance the country’s efforts to implement a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programme.
The Executive Director of Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, Princess Nikky Onyeri, told media practitioners at the conference that the even was expected to advocate increased awareness of cervical cancer in Africa; to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
She said the conference also had the objective to mobilise the needed resources for the development of policies, strategies and action to fight cervical cancer at national, regional and international levels.