Draw proper policies, protocols to fight breast cancer treatment – MBCF

Government has been criticized for failing to outline a proper roadmap to aggressively fight breast cancer.

A Board Member of Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) who is also an Oncology Nurse at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s Chemotherapy Department, Eric Brobbey took a swipe at government for its lazy approach to fighting the disease without a proper policy and protocol on the channel of treatment of the dreaded disease.

The healthcare officer made the observation during a press conference organized by Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) in Accra.

MBCF is resolved to fight the disease throughout the year and not limit it to October.

The Oncology Nurse, Eric Brobbey without mincing words called out government for failing to outline practical measures that will guide health care professionals and patients on the proper treatment channel.

According to Mr. Brobbey a proper policy document and protocol will help give directions to healthcare officials and patients on what to do or go during treatment to free them of confusion.

“There is no proper policy. No proper protocol for treatment of the disease. This is sad. There should be a system where a patient knows where to go or a nurse knows where to direct a patient when a lump is detected. There should be a proper referral system so that for instance when there is a case, the nurse knows the next line of action and where to direct a patient in that order,” Mr. Brobbey suggested.

His call came after the Executive Director of Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng urged government to give prominence to the fight against the disease just as is done for HIV/AIDS.

Appalled by the number of breast cancer deaths in Ghana captured in his address to the press, Mr. Kwarteng indicated that the fight against the disease; sensitization, advocacy, and screening must be aggressively consistent and not limited to October.

“When it comes to health issues, it is important that we do not over-concentrate on a certain month. So if we increase breast cancer sensitization and support only in October then we are in trouble because breast cancer does not occur only in October.

“People are getting breast cancer by the minute. What is the sense in giving prominence to breast cancer sensitization and education only in October?” he quizzed.

Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) has been on the ground each day sensitizing, screening, and searching for breast cancer victims to support their treatment.

The year-old Non-Governmental Organization was established on the vision of the late Amina Oppong Kwarteng, the late wife of Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng who sadly succumbed to the disease in 2022.

It is currently constructing a Breast Cancer Centre at Potsin in the Central Region.