A Doctor at the Urology Department at Korle-Bu, Dr Daniel Asiedu has cautioned the public that no traditional or herbal medicine has been approved for the treatment of prostate cancer.

He bemoaned the increasing rate at which people are roaming the streets with various herbal medicines believed to cure or prevent prostate cancer.

“They have PA systems with loud speakers that they play and anytime I meet them, the kind of information they are giving out to the public, I sometimes want to scream from my car that they are lying.

“They are giving out wrong information to the public. No herbal or traditional medicine has been identified or approved to cure or prevent prostate cancer,” he stated.

Dr Asiedu was speaking at the launch of a Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign in Accra.

He advised men who encounter urinary issues to immediately seek assistance from a medical facility for early check-up and treatment.

He also urged them to frequently take prostate cancer tests for early diagnosis and treatment, noting that African men have a high risk of developing prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Prostate cancer occurs in the prostate glands of men typically above the age of 55. Symptoms may include trouble urinating, blood in semen or urine, erectile dysfunction, bone pain, and weight loss. 

Much like any other cancerous disease, when not diagnosed in its early stages it spreads in the joints and bones and leads to death.  

Campaign 

To help address this critical health issue of prostate cancer, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Bayer AG have initiated a campaign titled 'Real Men ACT, which expresses a call to action that stands for A- awareness of risks and symptoms, C- check for cancer, and T- receive treatment.

The aim of the campaign is to transform the landscape of prostate cancer detection and treatment in the country. 

The campaign will start with eight strategically chosen districts within Accra. The districts are Accra metropolitan, Ayawaso East, Weija-Gbawe, Ga West, Shai Osudoku, Ashiaman, Kpone Katamanso, and Lekma. 

The Initiative encompasses an array of activities with Reggie Rockstone as its campaign ambassador. 

There will be community engagements, workshops, and health discussions on various media platforms. 

The multi-pronged approach of the campaign ensures that it reaches a wide cross-section of the population, aiming to spread knowledge about prostate cancer symptoms, its risk factors, dispel myths and misinformation on the disease, encourage early screenings and testing, and generally foster a culture of regular checkups. 

Baseline study 

Also speaking at the launch, the Team Lead, Holger Till, said after a baseline study in selected districts, it became evident that there was a general lack of appreciation for the risk factors as well as the benefits of early diagnosis of the disease.

He said the campaign therefore aims to raise awareness on the issue of prostate cancer and conscientise men as primary targets to prioritise and make informed decisions about their health.

“By doing this, we hope men’s health will be at the forefront of health in the region, because let’s face it, for the longest time, women’s health has been the focus with advocacy centering on breast and cervical cancers,” he pointed out.