By Raymond Rex Awiagah
The Story
The Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Charity has embarked on an awareness campaign in Saltpond, the Central Region, targeting local men with vital information on the disease.
The initiative by Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Charity
The initiative, aimed at educating the local male population about prostate cancer, saw a series of interactive sessions with medical experts who provided vital information on the risks, symptoms, and importance of early detection and empowering men to take proactive steps towards their health.
The Activities
The targeted campaign, offered expert-led presentations, free PSA tests, and a Q&A session to educate residents on the importance of early detection and regular screenings, helping to dispel myths and improve survival rates in underserved communities.
Point of View by founder of Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Charity
Madam Florence Taylor Acquah, founder of the Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Charity, urged Ghanaians and corporations to support the cause, stressing that government alone cannot tackle the vast task of raising awareness and education on prostate cancer.
She cited the UK's charitable culture, where donations fuel vital work.
The call of Early Detection
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Biomedical Scientist at the Saltpond Hospital Mr.Ishmael Asare emphasized the importance of regular check-ups, noting that early detection significantly increases the chances of successful prostate cancer treatment.
“Prostrate cancer is very common among men who are aged 50 years and above. So the advice is that all men should get their prostrate check. They should go to the nearest hospital to get their PSA done for them, the level will tell whether there is the need for further investigation..the most important marker for prostrate screening”.
According to Mr.Ishmael Asare, hardly do people walk into the hospitals to check for prostrate. “ most of the time, the people that rare found to have high levels of Prostate Specific Antigens, mostly come with urine retention and before we identify them, they are almost at the advance stage”.
The campaign so far
The National Coordinator of the Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Charity, Mr Kish Atto Odum says the charity believes that the more awareness is created for the ned to continuous check the state of prostate more people will be save from dying out of ignorance.
According to Mr Odum, Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Charity started the prostrate awareness campaign some 10 years ago. He aid since the campaign, they have been to a number of communities in Ghana including including the Cape Coast metropolitan Assembly, Mankesim, Assin Fosu, Kukurantumi.
Funding the charity
Mr Odum highlighted funding as a major constraint in the operations of the charity and hence called on local people and corporate Ghana to support the charity’s objective.
The initiative also highlighted lifestyle adjustments and nutritional habits that could potentially lower the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Presentation to Saltpond Hospital
The organization also made a presentation to the Saltpond Hospital.The Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Saltpond Hospital, Madam Dorcas Essandoh was grateful for the support received from the charity. She said the gesture will go a long way to support the operations of the health facility.
Going Forward
Officials from the Ghana Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Charity say they plan to continue expanding the outreach across Ghana, aiming to reach more communities with vital information and healthcare resources.