As part of efforts to raise and redefine awareness for the fight against breast and cervical cancer, the Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education (ABETICOE) has held a forum to sensitise its students and the teaching staff.
At the forum held on Wednesday, October 11, at the Precincts of the College of Education, Abetifi, the College Principal, Dr. Mrs. Phyllis Agyemang Nyarko, disclosed the need for the sensitization of her students to be aware of the repercussions of the deadly health disease.
On the theme that early detection leads to curability, Dr. Mrs. Nyarko, while speaking in an interview with Republic Press’s Andy Frimpong Manso, entreated her students to be wary of themselves and detect disease in order to seek medical aid.
“The month of October is a breast cancer awareness month, where we propagate against breast cancer disease. We also have students here with a total college community of about one thousand nine hundred percent (1,900) and therefore, there was the need for us to earmark a day for our people to learn and create for themselves, the awareness of the disease and that’s why we held this forum today”.
This forum marks the first time the college is embarking on such an initiative. However, the principal indicated that the school will continue to create awareness days inside and out to ensure that they do not depart from what they’ve learned.
During the sensitization, the students were taught about risk factors such as smoking and other health-implicated vices.
‘We entreated them to examine their breast and identify the changes in a bid to seek medical attention. We also discussed with them some of the risk factors that lead to breast cancer such as smoking, and we entreated our people and the general public to take the awareness seriously to avoid putting themselves at risk”,
A physician assistant at the Abetifi Presbyterian Health Centre, Mark Adubrah entreated men to focus on examining, identifying, and prompting the unusual changes in the breasts of their partners, not for intimacy purposes only.
“The College indicated to us their decision to hold this sensitization, and we also availed ourselves to educate our people. We are entreating our women, because they take charge of their breasts every day, and for the men, they are with their wives and partners all the time, therefore, they can help them identify the changes in the breasts of their partners and once you notice any changes, you quickly visit a medical facility. I’d also urge them not to just use the breast for sexual purposes, but rather, focus on identifying as well, the changes they may see in them.”
Nonetheless, he charged the public to constantly take education on breast cancer awareness as our personal duty to educate ourselves against breast cancer.
He said early detection leads to a reduction in the cost of treatment. However, in his remarks, it’s imperative for the general public not to downplay the complications of the treatment for the state and the family at large.
Some student-beneficial of the sensitization, Mantey Priscilla Osaebea, also said she has taken some of the things learned from the forum into consideration, and she’s determined to practice them and to also encourage her colleagues to emulate them.
“We’ve learnt a lot today. We were told to at least, examine ourselves every morning and in the unlikely event we notice some changes, we must report to the nearest health facility. I’m charging and entreating my colleagues to also do the same as I will be practising it thereafter.
I’m 2019, the mortality rate for breast cancer stood at 2,900 deaths, bringing the figure up higher from 2003.” She stated
According to the Ghana Health Service, 4,000 victims become prone to breast cancer annually. This is a damning statistic that needs critical attention.
