Poor road network in rural communities contribute to high breast cancer cases in Ghana – BCI President

President of Breast Cancer International (BCI), Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai has observed that poor road networks in rural communities contribute to the increasing cases of breast cancer in Ghana.

She noted that most women with late-stage breast cancer mostly lives in remote areas where they find it difficult to reach the urban centers due to poor roads.

She added that reporting late to the hospital for treatment put the patients at a higher risk of losing their lives, and that can be prevented if they can travel to hospitals without hindrances.

Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals appealed to government to improve the road networks in remote areas to save lives.

She made the observation during breast cancer education and free screening exercise at Korase, near Kwaso in the Ejisu municipality of the Ashanti region, on Sunday, April 22, 2023.

The program was part of Delta Air Line sponsored ‘Kick Breast Cancer Out’ campaigns, in collaboration with BCI and PLH attended by both residents of Korase and Kwaso.

The community members were also taken through diabetes, hypertension and eye screening after they were educated on breast cancer and its prevention.

“Poor road networks in the rural areas are hampering the treatments of breast cancer in Ghana as women with the early stage of the disease have it difficult to visit hospitals due to lack of transportation.

“The treatment of breast cancer needs prompt intervention and that is achievable if it is reported earlier. I am therefore appealing to the government to fix deplorable roads in the remote communities for easy commuting,” she added.

In spite of the poor road challenges, Dr Mrs Wiafe Addai advised women in the remote areas to find any possible means to report to health facilities if they find any unusual thing in their breasts.

She stated that “early stage of breast cancer is painless and the only way of knowing the disease is frequent medical screening for early treatment”.

She posited that the disease is preventable, treatable and curable so women should demystify the belief that it has spiritual connotations.

The chief of Korase, Nana Adu Boahen, in his excitement, appealed to the BCI Team to make it a routine to visit the community to update them on breast cancer.

Nana Adu Boahen appealed to women in the communities to avail themselves of frequent screening of their breasts to avert any unforeseeable dangers.