The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is at the forefront of the 2025 World Cancer Day celebration, themed “United in Unique,” with a strong emphasis on raising awareness, prevention, and early detection.
The event which took place at the GHS Director General’s conference room on Tuesday, February 4 seeks to honour cancer survivors and highlight their resilience, struggles, and victories.
Health practitioner and cancer survivor, Hannah Tetteh, shares her journey of overcoming neglect and financial barriers to treatment.
Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I could not bear the pain any longer. In January 2024, I made a deposit for a biopsy at RIDGE, and the results led to a second surgery. When Dr. Kaba informed me, I was still recovering from the first surgery, and I didn’t know whether to cry or remain silent.”
Acting Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, emphasised the alarming statistics that over 70% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries like Ghana.
The 2025 campaign will spotlight cancers affecting men, an often-overlooked aspect of cancer awareness.
“In 2022, Ghana had an estimated 27,385 new cancer cases and 17,944 deaths, including 2,395 prostate cancer cases with 1,233 deaths (52% mortality), and 2,656 liver cancer cases with 2,390 deaths (90% mortality),” he stated.
For the first time, GHS has admitted that it does not have complete data on all cancer cases in the country.
As part of its commitment to tackling the disease, the service has announced plans to compile a comprehensive cancer register to track and manage cases more effectively. This initiative comes as Ghana continues to grapple with the significant burden of cancer, which remains a major public health challenge.
GHS is also taking significant steps toward developing a national cancer strategy, underscoring that prevention remains the most effective way to combat cancer.
By increasing public awareness and providing better access to healthcare, Ghana aims to reduce its cancer burden and improve early detection and treatment options.
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