Accra Medical Centre, Coconut Grove offer free breast cancer screening

There has been yet another emphasis on the need for  women of all ages to get their breasts examined periodically to reduce their risks of breast cancer. 

This is because early detection of the disease provides an opportunity for treatment which helps avert fatality on account of late detection

A General Practitioner at the Accra Medical Centre (AMC), Dr Josef Avereyireh, who made the call to buttress similar advice given by health experts over the years, said almost all cases of early breast cancer could be cured with the right treatment in hospital, but unfortunately many victims due to lack of knowledge and early diagnosis were unable to benefit from this.

How it starts

He explained that breast cancer usually started as a painless lump in the breast although persistent pain in the same part of the breast should be duly investigated.

“The numbers are increasing. Most of them go undetected. So the reason why we are raising awareness is that breast cancer is out there but our women are not coming in or they come in late where we can't do anything for them.

But when you come in early, that is when we are able to give you the appropriate treatments for a healthy quality of life during and after the breast cancer period,” he stressed. 

Exercise

Dr Avereyireh was speaking at an awareness campaign organised by the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in collaboration with the AMC to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month of October which is marked annually across the world.

The partners also offered free breast screening to participants which included clients, customers, staff and residents. 

The exercise formed part of the establishment’s 25th anniversary, and aimed to help address a critical public health need.