Breast cancer continues to dominate the caseload at the oncology unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), with 44 new cases recorded in the first half of the year.
A specialist oncology nurse at the facility, Evelyn Osei Amoah, said the figure follows 145 new cases recorded last year, a trend she said points to a steady and worrying increase in the disease in the region.
“We see other cases within the unit, but breast cancer cases continue to lead in the unit. For the past five years since we started this major breast cancer campaign, breast cancer has always been leading the clinic. The cases that we are seeing are breast cancer, so yes, breast cancer is there; there is an increase,” she said.
Madam Amoah made these comments at an annual breast cancer screening organized by the Brooks Dreams Foundation, a local non-profit that has made October globally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month a focal point for its outreach to women in the Northern Region.
The health official said increased public awareness is driving more women to seek screening.
“The media is playing a key role in amplifying the awareness, thereby encouraging women to come for screening. More survivors are telling their stories, which is also encouraging more women to come forward for screening.”
The screening model, she explained, is designed to link community detection to TTH.
“When we notice someone has issues after the screening, we refer the person to the TTH. The person comes and we are the same people there. So when you come, what we have to do is we do a biopsy to confirm and then the person is referred to the oncology department where the right treatment is given to the person.” She added
The Founder and Chief Executive of Brooks Dreams Foundation, Hajia Memuna Kaleem, said the organization aimed to screen more than 400 people during this year’s exercise.
“Every year we try to improve upon the processes and make it more comfortable for people to undertake the exercise,” she said.
“We have enough rooms that can screen 15 people at a time. We have the washrooms, water and all their facilities available to be able to make it comfortable while they wait.”
Mrs Kaleem said the foundation also provides financial support for patients whose cases are confirmed and referred to the teaching hospital.
“Whatever the outcome is, we are able to support the people,” she said.
She acknowledged that myths and traditional beliefs had long hindered early detection efforts, but said sustained community engagement was beginning to shift attitudes.
She said the Ibrahim Mahama Global Foundation had partnered with Brooks Dreams Foundation for the past two years to support screening and treatment for women.
Founded in 2007, Brooks Dreams Foundation is a non-profit focused on empowering women and youth, particularly girls, through programs in education, livelihood and health.