Ghana Health News-The Ghana Cancer Board has vowed to to collaborate with stakeholders in the health sector to drive down the cancer statistics countrywide.
The Board, at a recent meeting in Accra expressed its determination to involve civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, corporate bodies, private sector institutions as well as cancer survivors to help fight the scourge of cancers amongst the population.
Having being inaugurated by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Board considers its mandate as a call to help stem the worrying tide in cancer cases.
Speaking at the meeting in Accra, Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, Board Chairperson of the Cancer Board called for increased collaboration with the aforementioned institutions to halt the spread of cancers and other non-communicable diseases.
COMMUNIQUE:
Reading out a communique at the end of the meeting, Dr Wiafe Addai said ‘achieving our core mandate would require carefully thought out programs including the use of brand ambassadors, quiz contests for schools, education programs in schools, outdoor advertisements and many other social and main media programs for effective dissemination of our messages’.
She added, ‘the board realizing the enormity of its mandate has created four main sub-committees such as research, education and awareness creation, advocacy, and fundraising in furtherance of achieving its set goals’.
The Board in the statement urged the public to collaborate with them as they embark on this all important national assignment to put cancers higher on the national platform.
This drive, the Board intimated is to help prevent the preventable cancers, reduce the overall cancer burden and ensure comprehensive cancer care in the country.
SUPPORT:
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer newspaper later, Dr Wiafe Addai called on the media to partner the Board in its efforts to reduce cancer infections in the country.
Effective dissemination of information about cancers and the available treatment measures, the cancer surgeon noted will help the public to report cases early at the hospitals.
She also rallied the public to offer support as the Board reaches out with programs to educate the citizenry.
According to her, nobody can do much if those that these measures are meant for refuse to collaborate.
” Our task as cancer board is all encompassing and we urge both our stakeholders and the public to support us as we determine to fight the scourge of cancers and all preventable diseases in the country’, Dr Wiafe Addai stressed passionately.
What do you think about this piece? Share your comment in the comment thread and share the story using the social media buttons above. Thank you.