AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has presented essential medical items to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Hospital for the establishment of a Breast Care Unit in the facility to help in the screening and treatment of people living with breast cancer in the municipality.

After renovating a place for the establishment of the unit, Iduapriem Mine further provided 32 essential medical items for the effective functioning of the unit, including medical examination couch (bed) and weighing scale.

It also provided stainless medical tray, personal protective equipment, cabinets, detergents, furniture, bedsheets with pillows, medical supplies, among others, which were procured at a cost of about ¢120,000.

The establishment of the Breast Care Unit at the Municipal Hospital comes as a relief for people living with breast cancer, who had to travel outside the municipality to receive medical care.

It is also expected to help in early detection and treatment of breast cancer patients in the municipality.

Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of Iduapriem Mine, Jean Marais, the Manager - Health Services, Dr Kwesi Gyeni Annor said about 164 women who were referred for further assessment and treatment last year.

This was during the Mine’s commemoration of the Pink Month, had to visit medical facilities outside the municipality due to the absence of a well-resourced breast care unit.

Dr Annor stressed that the situation of the patients prompted the Mine to push for the establishment of a breast care unit in the municipality.

He expressed gratitude to the Municipal Health Directorate and the Management of the Municipal Hospital for the support and cooperation in setting up the unit, and reiterated the Mine’s commitment to working actively to mitigate health risks in the workplace, and to respond to community health issues in the areas where it operates.

He called on all stakeholders to help fight against breast cancer by intensifying health education on signs and symptoms of the disease.

Dr Annor also encouraged stakeholders to advocate for Lifestyle changes; encourage self-breast examination and breast screening and call on family and friends to undergo breast cancer screening at the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Hospital for early detection and treatment of the disease.

On her part, the Municipal Director of Health, Mrs Caroline Otoo, commended Iduapriem Mine for the initiative and support in establishing the Breast Care Unit.

She stressed that it would go a long way to help the Municipal Hospital, and indeed the entire Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, to provide breast care services throughout the year for patients who would visit the facility.

“Now, people in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality will no longer have to wait till world Breast Cancer Awareness month in October every year to have their breast screened, but they can do that throughout the year at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital,” Mrs. Otoo said.

The Medical Superintendent of the Municipal Hospital, Dr Frederick Sarpong, promised to ensure that the items would be put to good use to help increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of the disease in the municipality.