News
Breast cancer not death sentence – Dr. Richard Baiden
Dr. Richard Baiden
Inasmuch as breast cancer is a complex condition and remains the commonest form of cancer in women, according to experts, there is still a ray of hope for women who have been diagnosed with the condition.
As part of The Spectator Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, we caught up with Dr. Richard Baiden, the Medical Director at the Kaneshie Medical Centre in Accra, who debunked some myths and allayed ‘fear’ about the disease.
Highlighting some risk factors and the general incidence of the illness, he noted that women [or even men] should not fret when diagnosed with breast cancer as “there is treatment for every stage of the disease.”
He admitted that the treatment processes required many expert hands, nonetheless, people battling the condition should not lose hope.
“Some people think being diagnosed with breast cancer is a death sentence but that is not entirely true. It can be cured when detected early and there is treatment for virtually every stage of breast cancer,” he said.
One of his concerns, however, was how some husbands left their wives after they (women) had been diagnosed or continued to seek treatment for breast cancer.
Dr. Baiden, therefore, counselled men to support their spouses in every step of the treatment, adding that health workers managing women with breast cancer should rope in the men.
“Right from the beginning, if women are diagnosed with breast cancer, the men (or their partners) should also be taken through the [treatment] journey their wives will be going through.
“There are some homes where men have left their wives because their partners have undergone Mastectomy (breast removal surgery).
“Even if a woman undergoes breast removal surgery there are breast reconstructive surgeries that could help restore some kind of breast so if the men have this kind of understanding, I think they would be supportive of their wives,” he observed.
Myths
According to the medical practitioner, some breast cancer cases which were reported at advanced stages were as a result of people attaching spiritual meanings to the disease at its initial stages.
“A lot of people misinterpret and treat the swelling that comes with breast cancer as a normal boil and tend to adopt all forms of unconventional treatment before they eventually report to the hospital when things are going out of hand,” he said.
This practice, he noted, should be discouraged adding that women should endeavour to report any abnormal changes they observe in their breasts to health personnel.
Chemotherapy
Responding to the ‘fear’ some patients have for chemotherapy as a form of treatment for breast cancer, Dr. Baiden explained that breast cancer treatment was not limited to chemotherapy and that treatment was “unique to different people as there are different types of breast cancer.”
“There are people who come to the hospital with breast cancer and never go through chemotherapy; all they may need is surgery or some other forms of treatment. So, depending on the type and stage of your breast cancer, you may not even have to go through chemotherapy.
“But even if you have to go through chemotherapy and ultimately get a cure, why not go for it?” he asked.
Dr. Baiden again urged practitioners at smaller health facilities to promptly refer suspected cases of breast cancer to bigger facilities where “patients could receive all the care they need.”
He further touched on the essence of “patient-to-patient interaction” during the treatment process, where breast cancer survivors are brought on board to encourage people who have been newly diagnosed of breast cancer.
Funding
While calling for a “robust national policy” regarding the management of breast cancer in the country, the Medical Director stressed there should be more multi-stakeholder education and advocacy “on a daily basis about breast cancer and the education should not be left to health workers alone.”
He admitted that the treatment or management of breast cancer was expensive hence the need for government and non-governmental agencies to continue providing funding support for health facilities across the country.
“A drug called Herceptin which is supposed to fight one of the very aggressive forms of breast cancer is expensive. One shot of this drug is about GH¢ 6,000 and a patient may need it at least every three weeks [or for as long as doctors prescribe]. But health insurance for this drug is only up to one year.
“So the question is if the insurance covers you for a year, and you still need the drug after one year, what are you going to do?” he asked.
By Ernest Nutsugah
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has temporarily suspended all date of birth changes on the Ghana Card across the country.
The suspension takes effect from Monday, November 9, 2026, and will remain in force until further notice.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Authority said the decision followed a review of its date of birth update process, which revealed the need for stronger safeguards.
The NIA said it was engaging key institutions, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Births and Deaths Registry, to strengthen the guidelines for processing such requests.
It explained that the consultations were aimed at ensuring a transparent, credible and standardised system for handling date of birth changes.
During the suspension, no new applications for date of birth changes will be accepted or processed at any NIA office nationwide. Requests already being processed will also not be approved.
The Authority said it would notify the public once the consultations were completed and the revised guidelines were ready.
It apologised for any inconvenience caused and appealed to the public for understanding and cooperation.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Judicial Service of Ghana has announced the suspension of the industrial action by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) and the Senior Staff Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana (SSAJUG).
In a press release dated November 9, 2026, the Judicial Service said the decision followed productive discussions between the leadership of the two associations and management, resulting in a mutual understanding.
It has consequently directed all staff to resume work with immediate effect, with courts across the country expected to resume normal sittings on Tuesday, November 10.
The Service expressed regret over the disruption caused by the strike and apologised to President John Dramani Mahama, the Executive arm of government, the Speaker of Parliament and Members of Parliament, the legal profession and the general public.
It particularly apologised to court users who experienced inconvenience during the industrial action.
The Judicial Service reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the smooth and timely delivery of justice and thanked stakeholders for their patience and understanding as efforts continue towards a lasting resolution of the issues raised.
By: Jacob Aggrey
