A medical doctor at Ridge hospital in Accra, Dr Jonathan Juwerie, has called for intensive public education on breast cancer in deprived communities across the country.

He said it was important for women in rural and deprived communities to have a better understanding of the causes, symptoms and prevention of the ailment to better protect themselves against it.

The medical Doctor made the call at a free breast cancer screening organised by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) at Gbetuori community in the Jirapa Municipality of the Upper West Region.

The programme presented an opportunity for women and girls in the community to screen for the disease, while they were also educated on the causes and possible preventive measures of breast cancer.

Dr Juwerie said educating women to understand the disease would help clear the negative perceptions and encourage women to seek early treatment, adding that they will be able to self-examine the breast for signs and symptoms of the disease.

He encouraged women to regularly visit the hospital for check-ups since early detection was the surest way to fight against breast cancer.

Dr Juwerie said the lack of support from men had become a major challenge and said it was time men understood the important role they played in the lives of women.

He advised the women to consult medical doctors if they noticed lump, swelling, redness and darkening, change in size, dimpling and nipple discharge in the breast because early detection of breast cancer was important in saving lives.

Mr Matthias Berthold, Project Manager-Resilience Against Climate Change(REACH), said the GIZ was ready to partner private organisations to promote quality healthcare delivery, and urged women in the area to take advantage of the exercise to know their status.

He urged the members, especially women not to take lightly any change in the breast but to report promptly to a health facility and urged the participants to extend the education to their communities to ensure that no woman died of breast cancer.

The project manager explained that the screening also sought to educate women in the community on how to detect abnormalities in their breasts at the early stage.

He urged women to adopt healthy lifestyles to reduce their chances of getting the disease, and advised those who already have it to comply with the treatment as prescribed.