KMA, KATH mark World Cancer Day

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), in conjunction with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), yesterday marked World Cancer Day in the Kumasi metropolis with a durbar which was meant to afford the people the opportunity to know more about the deadly disease, especially its prevention.

The event was celebrated on the theme: "I am and I will".

Addressing the gathering, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Kumasi, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, noted that though cancer was a life-threatening disease all over the world, in recent years, medical research had come out with treatment, especially in the case of early detection.

He, therefore, called for all to join the crusade to create awareness among the public.

Kumasi City Cancer Project

Mr Antwi announced that the Kumasi City Cancer Project was playing an important role in the fight against cancers.

He recounted that the Union for International Cancer Control ( UICC), based in Geneva, Switzerland selected Kumasi to host the City Cancer Project, dubbed: “C/CAN 2025 Project” due to its strategic central location and the presence of a Cancer Registry at KATH.

The C/CAN 2025 Project , which took off in 2018, is being undertaken by the UICC to reduce cancer mortality by 25 per cent by 2025.

Kumasi was the first city in Africa and the fourth in the world to host the project.

Mr Antwi stated that plans were advanced for the completion of the Faculty building for the Kumasi City Cancer Project

Cases

The Head of the Oncology Directorate of KATH, Dr Osei Bonsu Barwuah, said 42,000 new cases of cancers were reported in the country with 15,000 deaths in 2018.

He said every day, somebody died from cancer in the country.

Mr Barwuah encouraged people to report symptoms of cancer early at the hospitals to ensure prompt treatment.

He also advised the public to refrain from smoking, excessive drinking, self medication and eating of too much meat to help prevent the disease.

KATH proud

In his address, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Professor Baafuor Kofi Opoku, said the hospital was proud to be associated with the C/CAN 2025 project.

He noted that the oncology directorate of the hospital attended to an average of 850 new cancer cases every year and cumulatively saw 9,800 cases in 2018.

The Otumfuo Mawerehene, Baffour Osei Hyeaman Brantuo, who chaired the function, urged all to get involve in the campaign to educate the people to report any symptoms to the hospital.