In October 2024, as has been custom since 1985, the worldwide group united in a vigorous marketing campaign aimed toward eradicating breast most cancers. The month-long initiative, often known as “Pink October,” seeks to lift consciousness and scale back stigma surrounding breast most cancers signs and remedy.
Breast most cancers is the commonest type of most cancers amongst ladies globally and led to over 670,000 deaths in 2022, based on the World Well being Organisation (WHO).
In solidarity with this 12 months’s Pink October, members of the Ghanaian “Girls in Forestry” group devoted their closing assembly of the 12 months to discussions past skilled improvement, specializing in cancers that have an effect on ladies. The intention was to advertise basic well being and well-being among the many group’s members, who embrace skilled foresters, forest governance advocates, authorized specialists on pure assets, and media practitioners reporting on forestry points.
At their assembly on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, in Kumasi, members acquired an outline of gynecologic cancers, cancers affecting a lady’s reproductive organs. This contains cervical, ovarian, uterine (or endometrial), fallopian tube, vaginal, and vulvar cancers, which contribute to just about 40% of all most cancers instances and account for 30% of cancer-related deaths amongst ladies worldwide, based on GLOBOCAN.
Presenting on these cancers, Mrs. Dorothy Anim, an oncology nurse from the Komfo Anokye Instructing Hospital in Kumasi, famous that “Cervical most cancers is the commonest, representing roughly 57.8% of all gynecologic cancers. It’s the fourth main reason for cancer-related deaths amongst ladies, claiming about 342,000 lives globally annually.” She highlighted that Ghana has one of many highest incidences of cervical most cancers globally.
Mrs. Anim defined that danger components for gynecologic cancers embrace household historical past, weight problems, hormone alternative remedy, HIV, smoking, alcohol use, and having a number of sexual companions. Frequent indicators and signs embrace post-menopausal bleeding, irregular bleeding earlier than menopause, irregular vaginal discharge, stomach bloating, and modifications in pores and skin color.
Concluding her presentation, Mrs. Anim emphasised that prevention and profitable remedy of gynecologic cancers are potential, notably with consciousness of danger components, sustaining a wholesome life-style, and avoiding smoking, alcohol, and unsafe sexual practices. Common screenings and consciousness of signs are additionally key to early detection and improved outcomes.
This 12 months’s Pink October theme, “No One Ought to Face Breast Most cancers Alone,” underscored the significance of early detection, well timed analysis, complete remedy, and assist for these affected by breast most cancers. In Ghana, over 4,000 ladies are identified with breast most cancers yearly, with half succumbing to the illness. Research present that Ghanaian ladies usually obtain a analysis at superior levels, rising mortality dangers. Moreover, analysis signifies that Black ladies usually tend to die from breast most cancers at all ages.
The observance of Pink October in Ghana this 12 months additionally underscored the necessity for intensified consciousness nationwide and throughout Africa, particularly concerning breast and different cancers affecting ladies.
Along with the well being discussions, the Girls in Forestry members have been briefed on the Affirmative Motion (Gender Equality) Act of 2024. This Act seeks to extend ladies’s participation in public life, setting a minimal of 30% illustration with a goal of fifty% by 2030.
Ann-Marie Palmer-Burkle from TaylorCrabbe Authorized Agency mentioned the institution of a Gender Equality Committee underneath the Act. This committee will work with unbiased our bodies, together with the Fee on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Nationwide Fee for Civic Schooling, Nationwide Media Fee, and the Electoral Fee, to make sure adherence to gender equality rules.
Throughout an open dialogue, members welcomed the Affirmative Motion Act as a major development for gender equality in Ghana, expressing optimism that the Gender Equality Committee will successfully fulfill its mandate.
By Ama Kudom-Agyemang
