Gender
Galamsey threatening spike in breast cancer cases — Breast Society warns
THE Breast Society of Ghana has sounded the alarm on a looming surge in the incidence of breast cancer in Ghana as the menace of illegal mining (galamsey) continues to ravage many communities across the country.
It indicated that an average of 5,000 women were diagnosed with the disease every year out of which 2,500 died, but the situation could deteriorate if the galamsey onslaught did not cease immediately.
Prof. Martin Morna, an Associate Professor with the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and member of the Society, warned that mercury, lead, arsenic and other chemicals introduced into water bodies and the soil were carcinogenic and could increase the susceptibility of women to breast cancer.
The Society issued the warning when it held a grand durbar on breast cancer awareness in Cape Coast, sensitising mostly second cycle students to the fatal disease and mounting a strong advocacy against stigmatisation.
The durbar highlighted the devastating dangers of the breast disease and called for love and support for victims, instead of stigma and ostracisation.
The mammoth gathering was held under the Society’s Empowerment Project as part of its 13th Oguaa Breast Cancer Campaign on the theme: “Breast cancer: Stop the stigma and be supportive.”
Prof. Morna underscored the dangers of the disease noting that cancer cells could invade other organs and parts of the body including the bone, brain and liver and cause them to fail.
He said the disease could happen to anybody but factors such as age, gender, race, family history, smoking, null parity, contraception, and delaying first birth until 30 years increased the risk of getting it.
He said early signs of the disease included bloody or blackish discharge from the breast, adding that the early signs were usually not painful or bothersome.
“Anyone who goes beyond 40 years should quickly see the doctor if they find a lump in their breast,” he said.
“It is good to do screening regularly; do it once every two years if you are at average risk, and once every year if you are at high risk,” he added.
Prof. Akwasi Anyanful, Former Vice President of the Society and Associate Professor with UCC SMS, painted a global picture of the breast cancer disease, noting that 2.3 million cases were recorded in 2022 alone out of which 665,000 succumbed.
He observed with worry that the incidence of breast cancer was higher among Caucasians, but mortality was higher among blacks.
He also observed that breast cancer could also affect men, adding that men died faster when affected.
Mrs Georgina Kumah-Dzagah, a survivor of breast cancer, shared her experience with the disease and how she suffered stigma at the hands of friends and family.
She said she had gone through all the stages of the disease including lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy even though she detected the disease at the early stage.
“The deepest wound doesn’t come from the cancer but how people respond to it. I was 31 years when I was diagnosed, and my world changed in an instance.
“I didn’t just lose my breast, I lost friends. Social gatherings became more painful because people looked at my chest instead of my face,” she recounted.
She emphasised that breast cancer was real but not contagious, urging people to be more supportive to patients.
—GNA
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For many young women who gathered at last week’s military recruitment exercise, the day was supposed to mark the beginning of a long-awaited dream built on discipline, sacrifice, and the quiet determination to prove that women too can serve, protect, and rise through the ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces. But that dream was shattered when tragedy struck.
Among the crowd were young women who had travelled from distant towns, some clutching envelopes of documents, others holding on to borrowed hope and borrowed money. Many had always believed that the Ghana Armed Forces was one of the few institutions that did not discriminate against their gender. They joined thousands of hopefuls, standing shoulder-to-shoulder under the burning sun, anticipation tightening their chests.
Yet, for six of these young women, the day ended in the unthinkable. They lost their lives in the stampede at El-Wak Sports Stadium, a devastating blow to families, friends, and the nation. Their deaths have left a permanent scar on the dreams they carried and on the community that watched helplessly as hope collided with chaos.
Women caught in the chaos later recounted how panic surged through the crowd. Some were pushed off balance, others struggled to breathe, and a few held on desperately to friends so they would not be swallowed by the moving wave of bodies. Their voices trembled not only from shock but from the fear they had long carried within—the fear of being unseen, unheard, and unprotected.
Unlike their male counterparts, who often approach recruitment with the boldness society readily grants them, many women arrive at such exercises already battling stereotypes. They must first win the silent argument that they belong there. The tragedy, therefore, did not only claim lives and injuries; it magnified the fears women carry even before they step through the recruitment gates.
For some, the military represented their only escape from unemployment and the frustrations of being a young woman seeking stable work in Ghana. That is why they endured the heat, the long queues, and the packed grounds because the uniform symbolized fairness, dignity, and a chance to rewrite their stories.
As families mourn and survivors nurse their wounds, one truth stands out: women’s aspirations must be protected with the same seriousness afforded their male peers. Their courage to defy gender norms should be met with proper safety measures, clear organisation, and a recruitment environment that does not put them at unnecessary risk.
The tragedy has reminded the nation that behind every applicant is a story of sacrifice, hope, family expectations, and for many women, the desire to claim space in fields traditionally reserved for men. These human stories should guide future reforms, and for that reason, gender-sensitive policies must no longer be an afterthought.
It is against this backdrop that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday announced the resumption of its 2025/2026 recruitment exercise in the Greater Accra Region, following the temporary suspension after the stampede on Wednesday, November 12, at the El-Wak Sports Stadium.
In a statement cited by The Spectator and signed by the Acting Director General of Public Relations, Captain (Ghana Navy) Veronica Adzo Arhin, GAF explained that the reinstated process will now take place across eight sub-centres. These include the El-Wak Stadium and Nicholson Park at Burma Camp, which will each have two centres. The Air Force Base at Burma Camp and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Teshie will also each host two centres, while the Eastern Naval Command in Tema will have one.
To ensure smooth screening and reduce congestion, applicants will report in batches of 600, with each individual receiving an SMS specifying their reporting date, batch number, and designated centre.
Even with the revised measures, one concern remains: women’s safety in crowded public spaces must be intentionally prioritised, not assumed under the banner of military discipline. Clearer communication, structured queuing systems, better crowd control, constant medical presence, and trained crisis responders are not luxuries—they are necessities.
Beyond logistics, there must also be recognition that women’s experiences of fear, vulnerability, and danger differ from men—not because they are weaker, but because society has conditioned the environment to be harsher toward them. For every female applicant to any of the security services, there is a story of resistance against stereotypes, limited opportunities, whispered doubts, and unspoken fears.
These stories must shape the reforms that follow, ensuring that young women can pursue the uniform not with fear, but with confidence and dignity. And as the nation continues to mourn the six young women whose lives were lost, the hope remains that lessons learned from this tragedy will safeguard the dreams of those who step forward next, so their courage is met with the order, protection, and respect it deserves.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, GIZ, and AYA Integrated Healthcare Initiative, has launched the 1st National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research Conference in Ghana, on the theme: Advancing Ghana’s NCDs Research Agenda Towards Attaining Primary Healthcare Goals.
The conference aimed to deliberate on the development of a National NCD Research Agenda for Ghana and to produce evidence briefs to inform policy decisions on NCDs, promote multidisciplinary collaborative research, and guide interventions to strengthen the healthcare system for the prevention and control of NCDs in Ghana.
Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, representing the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, highlighted their shared commitment to strengthening research, improving data quality, and integrating evidence into health policy and primary healthcare practice.
He underscore the conference as an important platform to convert research findings into actionable policy, build a strong network between Ghanaians and International NCD researchers, enhance national policy for data collection and knowledge generation, develop a National NCD Research Agenda that aligns with the sector’s strategic priorities including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares), free Primary Health Care and the Universal Health Coverage roadmap.
Mr.Akandoh commended the partners, especially GIZ, for their continuous support and acknowledged the dedication of local research institutions in generating the evidence needed to develop contextually appropriate solutions.
He urged them to deepen their collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to ensure that research transcends academic outcomes and becomes the backbone of policymaking.
Dr. Kwame Amponsah Achiano in his delivery on behalf of the Director-General, GHS, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, said research can improve NCD care in the country through early detection and clinical health, strengthen health systems and policy and support monitoring, evaluation and accountability.
He concluded that the fight against NCD would be won through knowledge, research that informs practice, transforming systems and saving lives.
