Patients of breast and cervical cancer are to receive financial support from the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP).

Gender and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, who disclosed this said, the support will absorb some of the cost of treatment other medical expenses. 

“The gender ministry has been monitoring the human-centred programmes of the Breast Care International (BCI) over the years and is happy to announce the inclusion of indigent breast and cervical cancer on the LEAP,” Madam Djaba said.

She was speaking at the National Basic Oncology training for community-based nurses in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.

The announcement is a response to an appeal made by BCI, early this year to extend the LEAP facility to cancer patients.

Other beneficiaries include people who suffer fistula, haemophilia, sickle cell anaemia, cerebral palsy, autism and hole-in-heart conditions.

President of BCI, Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, was excited about the Ministry’s work on the creation of awareness on breast cancer and its prevention.

She advised the public, especially women to take their diets seriously and avoid the intake of excessive fatty foods.

 “Our diet, we eat a lot of fat, the fried rice is too much, lets reduce them and lets exercise to reduce the incidents of breast cancer in our part of the world,” she stressed.

The first batch of trainees consists of 120 nurses from Ashanti and Eastern Regions. The five-day exercise will end with the deployment of personnel into communities for rapid response activities on cancer.

The oncology project is part of government’s effort to integrate the private sector into the mainstream economy.

It is expected to create employment for youth engender national growth and development.