Mrs. Betty Sekyi Hughes, wife of the Speaker of Parliament, on Thursday said it was necessary to change misconceptions about breast cancer because it could be cured.

She noted that the rising number of deaths relating to breast cancer was often due to the late detection and lack of knowledge on the part of women about the disease.

It was necessary for them to know some basic facts relating to the disease for its early treatment.

Mrs Sekyi Hughes, who was the Guest of Honour at Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Seminar at Parliament House in Accra, said self-examination of the breast should be part of women's monthly health care routine.

They should also visit a doctor anytime they experienced changes in their breast.

The seminar, organised by the Women Caucus in Parliament, was to sensitise Ghanaians on the early detection and treatment of the disease.

Mrs Sekyi Hughes said figures from the World Health Organisation indicated that the disease was the second leading cause of death in developed countries.

In Ghana 10 out every 100 women are said to be having breast cancer.

Mrs Sekyi Hughes said the earlier breast cancer was found and diagnosed, "the better the chances of beating it."

She commended the Women Caucus for the awareness programme, which, she said, would promote the cause of the Ghanaian woman.

"It is my personal belief that when women who are engaged in everyday politics spearhead the fight against certain social problems, the end result is a resounding success", Mrs Sekyi Hughes said.

Alhaji Alhassan Malik Yakubu, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said the breast is a treasured organ of the body, not only for attraction but also for nutrition.

Any disease on it therefore denies a sucking baby of its source of food and that it would be criminal not to avoid a preventable disease.

He urged Members of Parliament to spread the message about cancer in their campaigns.

In a presentation, Dr Juliana Derban of the Trust Hospital at Osu said the causes of breast cancer were not yet known.

She however said some of the symptoms of the disease are a painless lump in the breast or in the armpit, flattening of the breast, and indentation on the breast.

Earlier, Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, Acting Chairperson of the Women Caucus, said 700 women were targeted to be screened, at an earlier exercise in the day at the premises of Parliament, as part of the awareness programme adding that the MPs would carry the exercise to their constituencies.


Source: GNA