News
Women asked to screen regularly as cervical cancer claims more lives
●Mrs Zenabu Addo (middle) cuttingthe tape to launch the programme
Described as deadly, devastating and leaving families in misery, cervical cancer has claimed many lives in Ghana than those recorded by road accidents and maternal deaths.
Data from the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Information Centre in Ghana has revealed that about 3,151 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually, and the disease is ranked the second most frequent cancers among women.
In 2019, alone, the disease claimed a total of 2,103 lives in the country.
The District Deputy Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Zenabu Addo who was speaking at the launch of this year’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month at the Madina Polyclinic, Kekele in Accra, said Cervical Cancer was caused by a sexually transmitted virus called HPV.
The programme which was organised by the Madina Polyclinic in collaboration with the Cancer Support Network Ghana was themed, “Early Detection is Key.”
Mrs Zenabu Addo enumerated the risk factors as engaging in early sex before attaining the age of 20, smoking, having multiple sexual partners at different times and one’s family history among others.
Mr Blaise Ackom, a Cervical Cancer Ambassador in a keynote address emphasised the point that women should embrace regular screening for early detection of the disease and subsequent treatment.
He said the key preventable method was for young ladies to abstain from sex and that women should take advantage of the awareness creation month and have themselves screened at a lower cost.
He noted that there was no cure for cervical cancer anywhere apart from the hospital.
Mr Ackom warned against smoking, especially shisha which he said was more dangerous than smoking many sticks of cigarette and lamented that the rate at which the youth were smoking shisha was alarming.
He called on husbands to support their wives and female children to screen regularly and parents in general to take good care of their children so that they would not fall prey to bad behaviours in society.
He advised women to study their bodies well in order to identify abnormalities and promptly report issues of post-coital bleeding.
The Cervical Cancer Ambassador appealed to the government to include free screening of the disease in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Ms Rosetta Ntriwaa Aboagye, a Midwife at the LekMA Polyclinic at Teshie Tsuibleoo, observed that since the cervix played essential roles in the lives of women, there was the need to cherish it and ensure that it was well maintained.
“Since this is the only cancer which is preventable, why do we wait unnecessarily without embracing the preventable means for it to destroy us,” she asked.
Ms Afwoa Mireku Ampomah, also a Cervical Cancer Ambassador, called on women to take control of their lives, boost their immune system and avail themselves of vaccination.
By Raymond Kyekye
News
220 former MMDCEs declare support for Bawumia’s 2028 candidacy
A coalition of 220 former Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who served under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration from 2017 to 2024 has declared full support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 general elections.
At a press conference held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Monday, June 23, the group, known as the Forum of Former MMDCEs for Dr. Bawumia, announced their “strong, unshaken endorsement” of the former Vice President. Their backing comes ahead of the party’s internal elections slated for January 31, 2026.
The forum described its support as more than symbolic, stressing that it is a practical commitment of time, resources, and political effort to help secure Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy and eventual victory.
According to the group, after extensive consultations with all aspirants and a thorough assessment of their competence and vision, they were convinced that Dr. Bawumia stood out as the most suitable leader for both the party and the country.
“Our endorsement is not merely symbolic; it is a strategic and operational commitment. With 95% of us having previously served as Constituency and Regional Executives—some for over 16 years—we possess an intimate understanding of the NPP’s structures, dynamics, and electoral needs. We will deploy this experience to ensure Dr. Bawumia’s message resonates in every corner of Ghana,” they said.
They praised Dr. Bawumia for his proven record in public service, especially his leadership in Ghana’s digital transformation, including the rollout of the Ghana Card, mobile money interoperability, and the paperless ports system. These, they said, had improved efficiency and formalised key sectors of the economy.
The forum also commended Dr. Bawumia’s inclusive leadership style, describing him as accessible, humble, and a unifier who engages with all factions of the party. His popularity with the grassroots, youth, and floating voters, they noted, gives the NPP a competitive advantage heading into the next national elections.
They argued that Dr. Bawumia’s national appeal and widespread recognition—established during the 2024 campaign—make him the party’s strongest bet for the presidency in 2028.
According to them, the electoral data suggests that beginning the campaign with a known candidate like Dr. Bawumia offers the NPP a significant head start, unlike the risk of fielding a new candidate with no established base.
The former MMDCEs said they view Dr. Bawumia as a leader who balances continuity and innovation, capable of upholding Ghana’s development gains while introducing new ideas for national progress.
They further pledged to mobilise their grassroots networks across all 16 regions of the country to support his campaign.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
News
CLCD engages Gender Ministry on Child Rights Protection
In a move to deepen collaboration in child protection, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, engaged with a delegation from the Centre for Learning and Childhood Development (CLCD).
The meeting focused on areas of mutual interest and explored opportunities for partnership.
The Minister expressed her appreciation to CLCD for their unwavering dedication to childhood development and learning outcomes, especially for vulnerable children.
She acknowledged the significance of CLCD’s work in supporting early childhood development (ECD), child rights, and inclusion.
Discussions centred on potential areas of collaboration, including: technical support for policy implementation, data collection on children with developmental delays, and the roll-out of inclusive learning interventions.
The CLCD delegation highlighted its strengths in training, research, and advocacy for inclusive education and early childhood development, and expressed its readiness to support the Ministry in strategic initiatives aimed at safeguarding children’s rights.
The Minister underscored the Ministry’s commitment to building strategic partnerships with organisations such as CLCD, which bring both expertise and field-level experience, to enhance efforts in promoting child welfare.
Such collaborations, she believes, are essential for prioritising the finalisation and implementation of Ghana’s Child and Family Welfare Policy, as well as the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Policy.
