Limited access to screening services and widespread beliefs that breast cancer is caused by witchcraft are delaying early detection and treatment among women in Paakro, a rural community in the Eastern Region.
This concern emerged during a community health and mentorship outreach organised by the Muslimah Mentorship Network on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
The event brought together women from the Fante Town, Abaase, and Adjinase Piem electoral areas for breast screening and health education.
The programme formed part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It combined medical outreach for women with mentorship sessions for teenage girls on education, reproductive health, and personal development.
Founder of the Muslimah Mentorship Network, Ms Bilkis Nuhu Kokroko, said the initiative was designed to support women and girls in underserved communities who often lacked access to healthcare and guidance.
“Our goal is to reach communities where women rarely go for medical checks and where girls also need direction and mentorship,” she said.
“We see this as a mother-daughter approach. The women receive medical care and health education, while the girls learn about responsibility and the importance of staying focused on their education.”
Ms Kokroko said the Network would continue to organise outreach programmes to promote preventive health and empower young women to make informed decisions.
“We want to build communities where women take charge of their health and girls take charge of their future,” she added.
Leading the medical team, Dr Abdul Wadud Mohammed, a volunteer doctor, said misconceptions and poor access to healthcare remained major barriers to early detection of breast cancer in rural areas.
“Many women delay seeking medical help because they believe breast cancer is spiritual or caused by witchcraft,” he said.
“Others rely on herbal remedies until it is too late. These beliefs are dangerous because early detection is what saves lives.”
Dr Mohammed said the medical team educated participants on how to perform self-breast examinations and urged them to seek professional help when they noticed any unusual changes.
“We taught them to check for lumps, nipple discharge, or changes in the breast skin,” he said. “We also encouraged regular hospital visits for screening and advised families to support women to do so.”
A senior public health nurse from Manna Mission Hospital, Ms Samira Mastura Sulleman, who conducted most of the examinations, said six women were referred for further medical tests after suspicious signs were detected.
“Some of the women had lumps or nipple discharges that required further checks,” she said. “They were referred for mammograms and biopsies to rule out cancer.”
She said many women still preferred herbal treatments or spiritual explanations for breast problems instead of visiting hospitals.
“We heard several say they would rather try herbs first,” she said. “That mindset is dangerous. When women delay hospital visits, the disease often advances before they seek medical help.”
The Assembly Member for Fante Town Electoral Area, Mr Abdul Lateef Saeed, praised the Muslimah Mentorship Network for bringing health professionals to the community.
He described the outreach as the first major breast cancer screening exercise in the area.
“Women from Fante Town, Abaase, and Adjinase Piem all gathered here for this exercise,” he said. “It has helped to dispel some of the long-held myths that breast cancer is spiritual. Now people know it is a medical issue.”
Mr Saeed called for stronger collaboration between health authorities and community leaders to sustain education and screening efforts.
“We need more of these initiatives to reach people who rarely visit hospitals,” he said. “It is the only way to change attitudes and save lives.”
As part of the day’s activities, mentors from the Muslimah Mentorship Network held interactive sessions with teenage girls on issues affecting their well-being, including teenage pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, peer pressure, drug use, and early relationships.
They urged the girls to prioritise their education, make responsible choices, and seek guidance from mentors and trusted adults when facing challenges.
