Editorial
Early diagnosis, treatment of breast cancer reduce mortality
The month of October is recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and devoted to raising awareness of breast cancer and promoting early detection.
Advocates have therefore begun educating the public about the importance of screening for the disease in order to determine one’s status.
This is due to the fact that although people battle the disease on a daily basis, early screening, diagnosis, and treatment can in fact significantly lower the number of mortality.
In an effort to raise public awareness of the disease’s risks, survivors have also begun to share their personal stories.
The world of many women were completely turned upside down when they heard for the first time that they had been diagnosed with breast cancer based on a biopsy.
They were overcome with anxiety and negativity, which may have caused them to pass away too soon, just by thinking about the illness.
According to reports, there are over 2,000 breast cancer deaths in Ghana alone each year. Nevertheless, medical professionals think the real number is far higher because many instances go misdiagnosed.
The medical professionals reassure patients that there is hope because early diagnosis improves survival rates as treatment can begin to avoid problems.
As a result, The Spectator is advising both women and men to get screened for breast cancer in order to know their status and improve their chances of survival.
We urge breast cancer patients who are thinking about switching from conventional treatment to unlicensed herbal medicines to quit before things worsen.
Reporting to the hospital right away for treatment is advised if you experience even the tiniest breast discomfort. This is so because patients receiving treatment at the hospital may receive chemotherapy, have the afflicted breast surgically removed, or receive other treatments.
However, a large number of people are unable to pay for the necessary medical care, which creates a major barrier to diagnosis and treatment. As a result, a large number of them return home untreated, eventually dying from their sickness.
We kindly ask family members and others not to reject their relatives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer but to provide support to theim, as the cost of treatment is significant and we want to ensure a successful outcome for them.
While receiving the news of a cancer diagnosis is never pleasant, we implore those who are affected by the disease to ignore their fears and instead follow medical professionals’ instructions to “fight and conquer” their illness.
The disease is now affecting a growing number of young women in Ghana therefore more public education and awareness of breast cancer is urgently needed since early detection and treatment can avert death.
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.
The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.
Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.
One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.
Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.
This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.
When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.
Ataa Osa Mensah,
Osu
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.
About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.
The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.
I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.
Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.
As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.
This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.
It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.
Mary Osei Badu,
Swedru
