The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has urged Ghanaians to make breast cancer awareness, prevention and early detection a year-round responsibility rather than limiting efforts to the month of October.
She said although October was globally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the disease did not wait for the month before affecting individuals and families, stressing the need for continuous vigilance, education and screening.
“Breast cancer does not wait for October to occur. Any day you hear the statistics, it is alarming and scary. So, every other day you wake up, you have to be aware and live in awareness to be able to check yourself or a loved one,” Dr Lartey said.
She was speaking at the national launch, sensitisation and screening exercise for the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, popularly known as Pink October, held at the GNAT Hall in Ho in the Volta Region, under the theme, “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters.”
The event brought together health professionals, government officials, breast cancer survivors, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, the media and members of the public to promote awareness, early detection and timely treatment.
Dr Lartey noted that although breast cancer predominantly affects women, men could also develop the disease and should therefore be included in awareness and screening efforts. She also called for intensified education to dispel myths and misconceptions that often discouraged people from seeking medical attention.
The Minister urged people who detected abnormalities in their breasts to seek professional medical care promptly, cautioning against delaying treatment in favour of relying exclusively on traditional or spiritual interventions. She stressed that early detection was not a death sentence and encouraged patients to combine medical treatment with other forms of support, including prayers.
She further called for an end to the stigmatisation of breast cancer patients and survivors, saying affected persons needed emotional, social and financial support throughout their treatment and recovery journeys. She also urged the media to use every opportunity to educate the public on prevention, screening and treatment.
The Acting Deputy Director of Public Health at the Volta Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Hedoria Awekeya, disclosed that the region recorded 1,182 breast cancer cases between 2021 and 2025, comprising 284 cases in 2021, 258 in 2022, 199 in 2023, 217 in 2024 and 224 in 2025.
She added that the region had recorded 146 additional cases and 10 deaths in 2026, compared with nine deaths recorded in 2025. Dr Awekeya said the figures represented real people and families whose lives had been affected by the disease, urging women to know the normal appearance and feel of their breasts and report unusual changes promptly.
The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, stressed the need to create an environment where people could openly discuss breast cancer, access accurate information and obtain healthcare services without fear of stigma or discrimination. He urged residents to prioritise regular health checks and seek medical attention whenever they noticed unusual symptoms.
Mr Gunu said the fight against breast cancer should go beyond awareness to include early detection, early action and improved treatment outcomes. He called for a collective response involving healthcare professionals, traditional and religious leaders, schools, workplaces, civil society organisations, development partners, the media, families and communities.
The programme featured sensitisation sessions and breast cancer screening, while survivors shared their experiences of diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship.
She urged Ghanaians to become advocates for breast cancer awareness throughout the year. “Please, let us be advocates, not only in October, but throughout the year,” she said.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
