More than 160 men have taken part in a free prostate cancer screening exercise in Accra as part of activities marking September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

The exercise, organised by Counsellor Cyril George Carstensen Lutterodt on Friday September 18, was aimed at encouraging men to prioritise regular screening and early detection of prostate-related conditions.

According to Counsellor Lutterodt, the initiative is focused on awareness creation, education, treatment support and counselling for men across the country.

“This screening that we are doing for free, the budget is very huge, but we believe that it is time for us to push the initiative of this September to remember what we call the blue month. The whole world is celebrating prostate cancer awareness month. So what we're doing as the advocate for prostate cancer in the whole of Ghana, my target is awareness creation, information education, medication and counselling support,” he said.

He explained that the initiative began in October last year, with the latest exercise representing one of the largest screenings organised in an open space.

“Since we started since last year October, this is the major screening we've done in an open space like here. Thanks to Multimedia for giving us the space and the media support and everything. Since the launch of this thing, Multimedia has been a very good support to us,” he said.

Counsellor Lutterodt expressed appreciation to Multimedia Group for supporting the initiative and said the screening programme would become an annual activity

“We say thank you to Multimedia and the whole family. Today's event comes as one of the screenings we have started and I'm promising you, this is not a nine-day wonder, it's going to continue every year. So, every September there is going to be a screening here and there's going to be screening across the whole endpoint homoeopathic clinic like it's going and ultimate clinic as well,” he said.

He said more than 160 men had been screened, with organisers expecting the number to reach about 250 by the end of the exercise.

“So that is what is happening and today it's been good. We've gotten more than 160 people as I'm speaking now, the other people waiting that will hit us to 250 today and because our test is instant, within three minutes you have your results, people are happy. It's been very very good, very supportive and we'll continue it and this is where we want men to know that early detection saves life, early detection saves life,” he said.

He encouraged men to overcome fears surrounding prostate screening and make regular checks part of their healthcare routine.

“So go and check, go and screen. It's not scary, it's not fearful, abdominal scanning is not painful. Same here, PSA prick is not painful,” he said.

“Please do it wherever you are, tell a friend to tell a friend to go and check. Over here too there is a supplement called Aphromax Plus and I'm always ready to tell you how it works if you are confused, any counselling, direction to where you can get a drug or anything so that we can be together.”

The exercise attracted participants from different backgrounds, including Ghanaian rapper and entrepreneur Okyeame Kwame, and Ghanaian gospel musician Shadrach Mensah Kwesi, who used their experience to encourage other men to undergo screening.

Mensah Kwesi said he decided to attend the exercise after witnessing his grandfather suffer complications related to prostate problems.

“I would like you all to also come check yours. It's good for you to know the state of your prostate. So that you can be able to take very good care of yourself.

He explained that his grandfather's experience had made him more conscious of the need for regular screening.

“I came here to check my prostate is because I have seen my grandfather go through pain because of prostate issue. He never went for a check-up. All of a sudden, he had issues. When I heard about this screening; I had to come check. Not because I am afraid, but I have taken it upon myself to take very good care of myself. To know my state, the state of my health.”

lso discounted, is the medicine. That is if you have prostate enlargement. But if you don't have, I think they gave me one of the medicines, just a small one to keep me ongoing.

The organisers say the screening is intended to form part of a continuing awareness campaign, with plans for similar exercises in subsequent years and at other locations.