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No woman should die of breast cancer —Dr Wiafe Addae
“No woman should die from breast cancer because she is poor,” was the resounding message that echoed through the streets of Kumasi last weekend, as thousands of Ghanaians joined Breast Care International (BCI) and its partners in what became the country’s largest breast cancer awareness walk to date.
From the Post Office at Adum to the revered grounds of Manhyia Palace, the city was painted pink and white, the colours for the breast cancer awareness — as participants marched under the theme: ‘A Cure Worth Fighting For.’
At the heart of the campaign was Dr Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, Founder and President of BCI, whose voice carried a message both sobering and empowering. She stated that, “Breast cancer can be conquered. But we must fight together. We must bring our arsenals — education, compassion, science, and solidarity — to save lives, especially those young women who die needlessly and prematurely.”
She stressed that breast cancer was curable if detected early and treated promptly, urging women to visit hospitals for check-ups and avoid relying on traditional herbs and self-treatment.
For over 23 years, BCI has been a beacon of advocacy, education, and care — not just in Ghana, but across Africa and globally. This year’s walk marked a significant rebranding of the organisation, which signaled a renewed commitment to women’s health and a louder voice against the myths and stigma that still surround breast cancer.
Dr Wiafe-Addai was particularly vocal about the dangers of misinformation — including the persistent belief that breast cancer was caused by witchcraft. She urged women to seek medical care rather than rely on traditional herbs or self-treatment.
Again, she called on men to stand by their wives during diagnosis and treatment and not abandon them. “This is when love must speak loudest; we must support each other. No woman should feel alone in this fight,” she noted.
According to her, the statistics are stark as over 2,300 women in Ghana die from breast cancer every year, a figure that surpasses the country’s COVID-19 deaths over a two-year period, but “early detection and prompt treatment save lives,” she emphasised.
As the walk ended at Manhyia Palace, the crowd stood united — survivors, families, health workers, students, and leaders — all carrying the same hope: that poverty, silence, and stigma will no longer be death sentences.
Dr Wiafe-Addai pointed out that BCI’s renewed identity, saying that, “is not just a change in logo or name. It’s a rallying cry.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Mrs Patience Antonio, a Child and Family Development Advocate, has called for a national campaign to reduce the growing reliance on breast milk substitutes among nursing mothers in Ghana.
According to Mrs Antonio, scientific evidence shows that breastfeeding improves a child’s emotional stability, boosts intelligence, strengthens the immune system, and provides long-term health benefits. She made these remarks in an interview with The Spectator in Accra last week, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding for a child’s overall development.
She explained that breastfeeding is not just a biological act of feeding but a key emotional and developmental bridge between mother and child. She also highlighted the need for the recommended six-month maternity leave period to ease the pressure on mothers to return to work prematurely.
“Breastfeeding creates intimacy and trust. It assures the baby of love and security, which becomes the foundation for their emotional health,” Mrs Antonio noted, warning that abandoning exclusive breastfeeding could have long-term implications on children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
Consequently, she called for a minimum of five months of fully paid maternity leave for Ghanaian mothers to enable effective breastfeeding, bonding, and healthier child development. She also urged workplaces to implement family-friendly policies, including private spaces for breastfeeding, flexible working arrangements for nursing mothers, and stronger support systems for new parents.
Mrs Antonio further encouraged families and society to actively support mothers during breastfeeding, stressing that many women struggle due to lack of assistance at home or the pressure to return to work too soon. She emphasized, “If we want a healthier, emotionally stable generation, then we must make breastfeeding a priority and support mothers to do it without stress.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Spectator
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The Nanvili Community School in the Mion District of the Northern Region is facing severe infrastructural challenges, affecting teaching and learning for pupils in the area.
The school, which serves five surrounding communities with a total of 58 pupils, has deteriorated to the extent that many children have stopped attending classes. Poor classroom conditions and the lack of desks have made teaching and learning difficult. During a visit to the school, the gate-free classrooms were found filled with goat and sheep droppings.
During the rainy season, both teachers and pupils are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding. Teaching activities are frequently suspended for weeks, negatively affecting academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed concern, noting that the situation is worrying since these pupils are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He added that due to limited space, classes have been merged, with pupils from Primary One and Two, Three and Four, and Five and Six sharing the same classrooms.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the community. He emphasized that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending.
Both the Chief and Assemblyman have called for urgent intervention to improve infrastructure and provide furniture for the pupils to ensure quality education for children in the Nanvili area.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
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