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Yemaachi partners The Mirror, Graphic Union ...for cervical cancer awareness
The event, which was part of activities by The Mirror and the Graphic Local Union to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), was to sensitise participants to the prevalence rate of cervical cancer in Ghana and the importance of screening for the disease.
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Prevalence rate
In the December 11, 2021 publication of The Mirror, it was reported that more than 3,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ghana, out of which over 2,000 died annually.
Making reference to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) report, Dr Kofi Effah, a Gynaecological Cancer Expert, who is also the Head of the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Training Centre (CCPTC), Catholic Hospital in Battor, Volta Region, said the situation was worrying and needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
At the IWD event, a Specialist Obstetrician-Gynaecologist from Yemaachi Biotechnology, Dr Nita Asamoa-Manu Gyimah, said the disease was the second cause of cancer mortality among women in Ghana.
She explained that the only way to detect and seek early treatment was through screening; however, the country’s current screening rate was only 2.8 per cent.
She mentioned unusual bleeding in between one’s menstrual periods, unpleasant smell, pain in the pelvic area and urinating often as some of the symptoms of cervical cancer.
Dr Gyimah also noted that some barriers to testing were the lack of awareness of the disease and the unavailability of facilities for screening.
She, therefore, called for more education on the disease.
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“We must intensify awareness of the disease and how it spreads, talk to people about it and together we can get a lot of people to go get screened,” she said.
Sheba HPV Test
Introducing the Sheba HPV test kit at the event, the Head of Clinical Affairs at Yemaachi Biotechnology, Dr Emmanuella Amoako, said the home sample collection kit for HPV testing was ideal for women who found it uncomfortable to get tested in health facilities.
She explained that the kit came with an Evalyn Brush which allowed a screening sample to be taken in the privacy of the home.
“Once the sample is taken, you seal and drop off at any collection point and receive a detailed test report via email or WhatsApp within 72 hours of drop-off,” she said.
Breaking biases
Speaking on “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, the theme for this year’s IWD, the Assistant Editor of The Mirror, Mrs Hadiza Nuhhu-Billa Quansah urged women to be actively involved in breaking all biases against them.
She commended women at the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) for doing tremendously well in contributing to the growth of the company.
According to her, IWD was a moment of reflection for women across the world. “While we make great strides for equality, we are constantly being held back by unconscious biases,” she noted.
Assistant Editor of The Mirror, Mrs Hadiza Nuhu-Billa Quansah presenting a Sheba HPV test kit to Ms Nelly Eyeson of the Sales and Circulation Unit
She said “if we are ever going to achieve true equality across every societal, cultural and business area, then we need to break all of the biases which have become standard practice”.
The Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ato Afful, called on women in leadership positions to be deliberate in training subordinates and equipping them with skills.
He said female leaders ought to consciously train young females to make them confident.
Mr Afful asked women to consciously look after themselves and their health and also be purposeful in their conversations about their health.
“It is incumbent on leaders in positions to make sure that the team they are working with learn from them. When we have done that successfully, it will reflect in our homes, the way we work and the way we treat other people,” he said.
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Paying attention to health
The Women’s Representative of the GCGL Local Union of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Ms Amma Bruwah Apenteng, stated that as women took up leadership roles, they needed to pay attention to their health.
“Inasmuch as we are calling for these actions, our health as women should be of much importance to us. In December 2021, The Mirror reported that about 3,000 Ghanaian women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, out of which about 2,000 died annually.
The Women’s Representative of the GCGL Local Union of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Amma Bruwah Apenteng addressing participants at the event
“If this trend continues, in the next five years, there will be 15,000 cases of cervical cancer and 10,000 deaths resulting from cervical cancer. We must, therefore, pay attention to this disease and others that affect the well-being of women,” she said.
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She expressed gratitude to Yemaachi Biotechnology for coming on board as partners and providing resources to lead the discussions.