Kumasi hosts historic ‘World Cancer Day’ celebration
Lady Julia, wife of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was joined by key women personalities, including the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, to mark the 2019 national ‘World Cancer Day’ celebration, at a historic ceremony in Kumasi.
The well-attended event, organized under the auspices of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the City Cancer Challenge Project, as well as Breast Care International (BCI), had as guest speaker Jordanian Princess Dina Mired, President of the Union.
The event, one of the major programmes lined-up by the city authorities to create awareness on cancer in all its forms, was also graced by Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) and other notable personalities.
A cross-section of the society, represented by traditional authorities, the clergy, civil society organizations and members of the Ghana Actors’ Guild, were also in attendance.
Prior to the event, the Jordanian Princess led a delegation to the Manhyia Palace, Kumasi, with the view to seek for the Asantehene’s support in the campaign to bring down the incidence of cancer within the Ghanaian community.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) estimates that the country records approximately 3, 000 cases of cervical cases alone yearly, with a corresponding mortality rate of about 2, 000.
Many more cancer cases recorded at the various cancer registry centres, and which continue to claim lives of the people range from breast, prostate and liver cancers to leukemia in children.
Princess Dina, the mother of a cancer survivor, in an address to the august gathering at the Great Hall, described Ghana’s condition as unacceptable.
“Let us resolve to make the fight against cancer a priority,” she noted, stressing that a lot of team work was needed to overcome the burden presented to the society by the disease.
Princess Dina reiterated the confidence the UICC had in the authorities and the people of Kumasi to sustain the ‘City Cancer Challenge Project’, saying they believed in the systems and structures put in place by the KMA to promote cancer care and treatment.
“It is about team work, and we need to come together to educate the citizenry on the disease,” she asserted.
The First Lady, Mrs. Akufo-Addo, bemoaned how costly cancer was to the Ghanaian society, explaining that the disease had claimed many productive lives over the years.
She advocated the creation of the needed awareness on it to enable the people to have a prolonged life.
The First Lady cautioned the people to stay clear of smoking and excessive drinking, while finding time for exercise for their benefit.
She applauded the UICC for its commitment to assist the nation campaign effectively against cancer.
Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Minister of Health, assured that the government would always create the platform for issues concerning cancer to be dealt with effectively.
Mr. Osei Assibey, who was instrumental in securing the ‘Kumasi City Cancer Challenge Project’ for the metropolis, said the KMA would not relent in investing in programmes aimed at advancing quality healthcare.