About 200 residents within the catchment areas of the ASA Savings and Loans Limited in the Eastern Region have benefited from free breast cancer screening.
The catchment areas are Koforidua, Somanya, Suhum, Asamankese, Nkawkaw, Nsawam, Akropong, among others.
The screening exercise was organised by the company with the support of a medical team from the St Joseph Orthopaedic Hospital at Effiduase, Koforidua.
CSR
The gesture forms part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) to give back to both their customers as well as the people living in such communities.
After the screening, those found with medical problems were referred to medical facilities for treatment, while those without any breast ailments were counselled on early symptoms of breast cancer and its related issues for early detection.
ASA's customers
At the screening exercise, the Senior Operations Manager of the company, Mohiuddin Sikder, said the company had focused on the health status of the women since they formed the majority of ASA's customers.
He explained that most often women had issues with their breasts, but they could not be detected at early stages for treatment.
He said the screening had made it possible for them to identify their medical problems free of charge because many of them could not pay for the screening at hospitals and that it had relieved them from additional financial burden.
He indicated that although October had been specifically dedicated as Breast Cancer Month during which the women were being screened, the exercise would continue beyond this month to enable more women to benefit from it.
That, Mr Sikder said, was because the company had targeted to screen 1,000 women within the region by the end of this year.
Business & health
The Sustainability Manager of ASA Savings and Loans Limited, Richard Nartey, said since business and health were linked together, it had become necessary to make the female customers and others healthy through the breast cancer screening exercise.
"If the female customers as well as non-customers are healthy, they will continue to do business with us uninterrupted.”
A Public Health Nurse at the St Joseph Orthopaedic Hospital, who led the medical team, said breast cancer screening was not meant for women alone, but men were included as the education campaign was still going on.
She advised men to also come forward for their breasts to be screened since they were also liable to breast cancer and its related diseases.
writer's email. haruna.wunpini@graphic.com.gh
