The belief by people to seek cure at the herbalists and prayer camps are among major challenges facing the management and control of breast cancer cases in the communities, Madam
Alice Vorleto, Nkoranza South District Public Health Nurse has said.
Addressing about 45 nurses drawn from the nine health facilities in the district at a workshop at Nkoranza, she appealed to opinion leaders in the communities to educate women to seek medical attention early since the
disease is curable.
The one-day workshop was aimed at educating the nurses on the management of breast cancer and diarrhoea cases.
Madam Vorleto, in charge of reproductive and child health services, said statistics from the World Health Organisation indicated that more than 20 million people lived with cancer in the world with majority of victims living in developing countries.
She said even though breast cancer was a killer disease, its early detection through screening and prompt referral for diagnosis and treatment enhanced the patient's chances of survival.
Madam Vorleto said, though some patients visited herbalists and pastors for cure, the best way to treat the disease was by medical attention.
She urged women to discard the notion that they might lose their breasts should they visit the hospitals for treatment.
Dr Emile Tano, Senior Medical Officer at Saint Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza, advised women to report early to the hospital when they realized any abnormality in their breasts.
Mr Sylvanus Be-ir, Medical Superintendent in charge of Nkoranza Health Centre, speaking on diarrhoea management, said patients could fill a beer bottle with water and mix the content with six teaspoonfuls of sugar and one teaspoonful of salt to serve as oral re-hydration solution to take at home before attending the hospital.
Mr Richard Kwasi Hinneh, District Director of Health Services, called on the nurses to continue to educate the people on the management of breast cancer and diarrhoea to save lives.