The Founder of the Breasted One Foundation, Ms Koshie Quaye, has urged the Ministry of Health to include the treatment of breast cancer in the number of ailments covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) because of the debilitating effects it has on women in the country and the cost of treatment.
According to her, women were the reproductive repository of every nation and as such ought to be given the necessary support and care they deserved.
Ms Quaye was speaking when Breasted One Foundation (Think Pink), a non-governmental organisation, held a free breast screening exercise at Tema Community 2 to mark the birthday celebrations of Ghana�s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
She said because affected women sometimes acted in fear of the disease and were driven into states of worry and nervousness, she decided to form the NGO in order to help screen women for the disease.
According to her, Breasted One Foundation had in the years past screened over 4000 for the disease out of which 400 were detected to have it. She said the affected women came from all over the country.
She said every female who had developed breasts and was menstruating ought to have her breasts checked for the disease.
She said when the disease was detected early, it could be treated and cured. She had, therefore, appealed to all women and girls who have come of age, to have their breasts checked so that those with the disease would be given treatment before it became cancerous.
Ms Quaye was of the view that the Ministry of Health and its allied institutions ought to intensify education on the disease, particularly in rural communities to help reduce its spread. She further urged the government to partner non-governmental organisations in the fight against breast cancer in view of the alarming statistics that a woman is diagnosed with the disease every 65 seconds.
She expressed her appreciation to UT Pledge Pink, Conship, Total Logistics, PZ Cussons and Agbamamie for donating hand sanitisers, blood tonic, and medical equipment.
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