Rekindling the assurance for treatment, Founder and President of Breast Care International, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, reiterated that public education had proved an effective weapon in the chain to roll back the numbing statistics, but said public admission of the disease by patients and opinion leaders, would consolidate gains and confirm public confidence that breast cancer is curable and survivable.

Dr. Wiafe, also the Chief Executive Officer of the Peace And Love Hospital, commended survivors who have braved stigma and sometimes public ridicule to share their success treatment stories as part of the program by BCI to encourage those suffering silently to break same and step forward, and out of the darkness for treatment.

Speaking to members of the Ebenezer Presby Church, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, also cautioned the gathering against non-communicable diseases, which she said had become silent killers, and advised the public against lifestyle diseases including diabetes and hypertension.

Turning out in their  numbers, the gathering which also included students from the Nyinahini Catholic Senior High school, was assured that people with breast cancer could survive, as evidenced by survivors present who shared their lifetime experiences, but on condition that the disease is detected on time and reported promptly for treatment.

The Reverend George Bekoe Appiah-Korang, the minister in charge of the Nyinahini Presby Church, associated himself with the challenge to break the silence on the condition and implored members to imbibe the breast cancer education given by the BCI team and report any suspicious lump in the breast for prompt action.

The highly patronized free public education program was complemented with free breast screening.

The medical team also screened the public for hypertension and diabetes among other non-communicable diseases.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The screening exercise was held for members of the of Assemblies of God and Methodist Churches, in a marathon double service which brought thousands of women together in the lead-up to the major walk against breast cancer.

The Head Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church, Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwaah, and Right Reverend Samuel Duah, under whose auspices the programs took place, unanimously stated that the city was poised for the major walk as evidenced by the massive turn-out at the free screening, during which patrons were screened for Breast Cancer, and other non-communicable diseases including Hypertension and Diabetes.

BCI Founder and President, Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, in an interview, commended the royalty, media, civil society and the region in its entirety for collaborating and assisting in diverse ways since the city was chosen to host the annual BCI flagship program, promising that “the Eastern region would tell a new story, after the walk, as the BCI team works with all allied institutions to drive down the disturbing breast cancer statistics affecting women in the region.”

Dr. Wiafe commended heads of the various institutions in the region for agreeing to release their members for the walk.

Billed to pull a record number of participants (The highest in the seven-year history of the annual event), the event is fashioned to heighten awareness about the debilitating disease and to assure the public that there is hope for survival, as long as the afflicted report promptly for medical attention.

Clerics of the two religious institutions could not hide their excitement for having the BCI team in their midst, and pleaded with women in general to shed off apathy and all misconceptions about breast cancer, and rather rally around BCI which has demonstrated sustained willingness and readiness to fight off and reduce the incidence of the disease to the barest minimum in Ghana.

Elsewhere in the Ashanti region, enthusiastic members of the Ghana association of tailors and dressmakers have carried out a clean- up exercise at Oduom in Kumasi, near the premises of the Peace and Love Hospital, desilting gutters and clearing nearby shrubs, as part of their annual get together.

Dr. Wiafe praised the association for the communal spirit and assured her institutions’ continued collaboration, emphasizing the fact that the health facility is keen on extending cutting-edge health services to all Ghanaians.

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Source: Breast Care International

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This was to commemorate the Health week of the Church.

The Breast Care International, BCI, and Special Group of Companies medical collaboration was on the theme – Breast Cancer Awareness – “Fight, Cure, Survive and Hope.”

Drawing on BCI’s tagline of early detection and prompt action saves live, Founder and President of Breast Care International, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe-Addai was of the conviction that the fight against breast cancer demanded a concerted effort, stressing it should not be left to a few committed individuals and organisations.

Using the Breast Cancer platform, Dr. Wiafe touched on other common cancers like Cervical and Prostate; free screening were done for other Non-Communicable diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus.

Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, whose post Annual General meeting church service coincided with the program, were screened for their sugar level, hypertension, and breast diseases especially cancer.

Dr. Beatrice Wiafe- Addai said the annual program had been designed to bring relief to the numerous women and men suffering from these curable and survivable diseases.

She explained that the unwavering commitment against the breast cancer scourge was borne out of the strong believe that no woman should die from a disease the treatment of which was competently within the remit of skilled Health Care personnel.

Dr. Wiafe highlighted some salient aspects of the NGO’s annual flagship program, dubbed “BCI GHANA WALK FOR CURE”, scheduled for October 14^{th 2017} in Koforidua, and appealed to the public to turn out massively and make this year’s version, the seventh in succession, a spectacular success.

She also reminded the community based nurses, who’re going to be trained in basic oncology, from 27^th to31st August 2017, to go back to their communities to assist in the early diagnosis of women with Breast and Cervical Cancer, and to refer them to the specialized centres, for meaningful and prompt treatment, irrespective of where these vulnerable women reside since those diagnosed will be receiving the necessary financial support they need.

The Director (Dr. Ofori Sarpong) and management of Special Group of Companies (Special Water),have graciously agreed to brand their water to be on the forefront of Breast Cancer Awareness in the country and beyond. Some of the branded water were donated to the congregation for free. Special Ice company commended BCI for being consistent in spreading educational messages about breast cancer in particular, and other medical conditions which are silently, but needlessly claiming the lives of Ghanaians.

The collaboration between Breast Care International and Special Ice, Dr. Wiafe stated, is expected to go a long way in the fight against Breast Cancer. Ghanaians were encouraged to patronize the Special Ice Water, to assist in its awareness program; stating, that all the water to be used for the training and BCI Ghana Walk for the Cure are going to be the branded Special Ice Water .

She expressed her appreciation to the sponsors.

Members of the pharmaceutical society of Ghana associated themselves, praising BCI for tenacity, fortitude, zeal and hard word.

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Credit: Breast Care International

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In attendance was Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, the Deputy regional minister, Elizabeth Agyemang and the MMDCEs in the region.

The seminar, which was under the auspices of Breast Care International, comes ahead of the formal launch of the basic oncology program for 120 nurses to be trained in clinically examining and promptly referring women with suspicious lesions to treatment centers.

Two nurses each would be drawn from each of the Districts in the two pilot regions of Ashanti and Eastern who would be trained and returned to their respective communities in a scheme designed for the localities to own and internalize the project.

A communique issued and signed at the end of the seminar by the President of Breast Care International, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, said “it was about time communities owned a domesticated program, tailored to rapidly facilitate the early detection and referral of suspected cases in a bid to reduce breast cancer mortality cases.”

Dr. Wiafe explained the program feeds into the Health module of the NYEP, promising graded expansion and eventual National coverage in a determined effort to decrease the higher mortality rate from breast cancer and reduce the incidence of advanced stage diseases in deprived communities.

Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Elizabeth Agyemang, who chaired the program at the regional coordinating council lauded the novelty and promised the administration would support any venture designed to harness the human capital of Ghanaians. BCi ambassador, Ace Actress Akosua Agyapong, was there to entertain the participants.

MMDCEs present were charged to ensure the success of the program as they partner BCI to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in Ghana.

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Credit: Breast Care International

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The seminar, under the auspices of Breast Care International, was also attended by the Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Daffour, and his Deputy, Joseph Tetteh.

Addressing the second and final seminar on National Basic Oncology training for community based nurses, Founder and President of Breast Care International, BCI, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to embrace the project aimed principally at breast cancer awareness creation and the provision of jobs for unemployed nurses at the community level.

Under the Project, the first of which took place in Kumasi earlier this month, one hundred and twenty unemployed nurses drawn from all the Districts in the two pilot regions of Ashanti and Eastern, would be equipped with the know-how on diagnosing breast cancer and referring same to Hospitals for further checks and examination.

Dr. Wiafe Addai explained the project was underpinned by the knowledge that early diagnosis was critical in the breast cancer treatment chain, hence the placement of these nurses at the community level to readily  diagnose the condition in a grand scheme to curtail prevalence.

Dr. Wiafe Addai said fighting breast cancer required a multi-facetted approach which took on board the contribution of all stakeholders, noting “no effort should be spared in the struggle to free our women from this ignoble disease.”

She said BCI was introducing the oncology module as a sequel to the hugely successful annual flagship program, “BCI Ghana walk for the cure” with its attendant showcasing of survivors and weekly free breast screening programs across the length and breadth of the country.

“The project would be forward-looking and proactive in character to the extent that these nurses would go knocking on doors to carry out free screenings in homes. We are convinced women apprehensive of stigmatization among other wrongly held notions would be covered under this novelty”. She explained.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Daffour and his Deputy Joseph Tetteh, associated themselves with the need to intensify breast cancer awareness creation programs in a region endemic with cases.

Frequently asked questions including the risk factors and management of the disease were addressed by Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai.

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Credit: Breast Care International

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The latest donation done at the premises of the Peace and Love Hospital, Oduom, Kumasi, in the Ashanti regional capital, according to the Founder and President of BCI, Dr. (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe Addai, bolsters the enduring relationship with “our U.S. based, not for profit charity, Direct Relief, in our shared mission statement to distribute free life- saving medicines, and other medical consumables, among others, to health care delivery facilities operating in predominantly poor communities in Ghana.”

She explained that “Our partnership is underpinned by proven integrity, honesty, accountability and the sheer desire to reach out to those on the fringes of society.”

Dr. Wiafe Addai urged authorities of recipient institutions not to sell to their patients who would need the drug since they (drugs) were given to them for free.

She pleaded with the government of Ghana to help ease the process of clearing the drugs at the port and scrap the fat import duties on the drugs which are coming in to support its (government’s) effort to ensure quality health delivery in the country.

The first wave of donations, witnessed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, his Deputy, Elizabeth Agyemang and representatives drawn from the beneficiary community, saw the distribution of infusions, lung cancer drugs, antibiotics, drugs for allergies, anti- hypertensive, anti-diabetes, and depressants to some tertiary hospitals, polyclinics, clinics and chip compounds.

The two associated themselves with calls for a concerted effort to fight off cancers and praised the leadership of BCI for the sustained campaign against the spread of breast cancer and other non- communicable diseases.

Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Tom Roane, Director of Strategic Initiatives of Direct Relief, who thanked BCI and the Ashanti Regional Health Ministry for their collaboration in distributing the Direct Relief donated medical goods to benefit Ghanaian underserved patients.

He mentioned that BCI has been a strong partner of Direct Relief for the past 4 years and has enabled tens of thousands of patients to gain access to specialized medicines to properly treat their medical conditions.

Roane also praised BCI’s Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai and the National Ministry of Health of Ghana for their vision and commitment to tackle non-communicable diseases and pledged Direct Relief’s continued support to help fulfill gaps in access to medicines for the underserved of Ghana, where possible.

Representing the beneficiary institutions, Mr. Paul Obeng, who heads the Pharmacy unit of the Pediatric Oncology of KATH, promised to put same to optimum use, and commended the donor Organization, notably Direct Relief, for remaining consistent to the welfare of the vulnerable and marginalized in society; he also thanked Breast Care International for their concern for the needy in the society.

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Credit: BCI

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She explained that though BCI is focused on breast cancer, “that does not negate the inclusion of other medical conditions (especially the other Non-Communicable Diseases) in the overall scheme of health care delivery of our facilities.”

“We are particularly interested in educating and treating the public for non-communicable diseases which continue to silently claim several innocent lives needlessly and most often prematurely,” she added.

Dr. Wiafe was speaking at Kwahu Tafo in the Eastern Region where the BCI team had carried out a free breast screening exercise for members of the Saint Joseph Clinic and maternity Home of the Catholic Church, as part of their Saint feast day and fund raising event for a haematology analyzer.

Dr. Wiafe commended the initiative to procure the equipment which she said would boost health care delivery in the community.

She assured the gathering that breast cancer, though deadly, is treatable, if detected early and same reported promptly to health facilities, and cautioned against over-reliance on prayer camps and advised the clergy to direct members with suspicious lumps in their breasts to report to hospitals for treatment.

For her part, the Sister in charge of the Hospital, the Reverend St. Dorotasojka, praised BCI for the level of dedication shown in fighting breast cancer, and called on members of the public to help the facility in its quest for standard equipment for improved services.

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Source: Breast Care International

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The donation was done at a short, but impressive ceremony at the Peace and Love Hospital, Baatsona, on  the Spintex road, Accra.

The cash donation is to boost BCI’s countrywide outreach programs aimed at educating and creating awareness about breast cancer through free breast screening.

Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, President of BCI, and CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals, said the amount would bolster the campaign and was highly appreciative of Newmont because the humanitarian gesture was both at the instance, and on the volition of the Multinational Company.

The chairperson of the Accra Chapter of Women and Allies, Newmont Ghana, Neringa Berzinkaskaite, and the Chairperson of the Akyem Chapter, Elizabeth Hazel, were unanimous the donation was in line with their corporate social responsibility in reaching out to human centered organizations whose core objects were in line with those of Newmont, and commended BCI for the sustained campaign against breast cancer, which they believed, had impacted positively on the public.

MTN/ THE ARKO FOUNDATION

Elsewhere in the Ashanti region, a delegation of Telecom giant MTN, led by the Manager of the Northern sector, Mrs. Afrakoma Baah Obeng has paid a courtesy call on Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai at the Head office of BCI in Kumasi to familiarize themselves with operations of the facility and to explore ways of corporation between the two.

The BCI team, led by Dr. Wiafe, walked them through the various stages of breast cancer treatment and reiterated the urgent need to intensify the public education drive in a bid to reduce the incidence of the disease while fighting off ignorance and stigmatization.

She charged corporate Ghana to assist BCI in whatever way possible to intensify the awareness creation exercise as poverty and ignorance combine to claim lives of some afflicted women.

A co-sponsored free breast screening program by BCI and the “Arkoh foundation” (an offshoot of BCI) , at the Africa Hall of The  Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, followed the visit, and was at the instance of the Ladies Wing of the Harvest Chapel International, where Mrs. Baah Obeng, doubles as the leader.

Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai noted that the “primary consideration is to connect with schools and communities across the country for breast abnormalities”

The BCI outreach team encouraged the student population and the faithful to periodically examine their own breasts and report any abnormality to health facilitIes for further examination.

Dr. Wiafe charged them to be ambassadors of the breast cancer public education program and help spread the news that breast cancer is both treatable and survivable if detected early.

ABURI SCREENING

And in the Eastern region, a well-attended free breast screening in the tourist town of Aburi climaxed the week of free breast screening programs by BCI.

The community was screened for diabetes among other non- communicable diseases which research has established as silent killers.

A public education at the Wesley Methodist church by Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai preceded the free breast screening.

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Credit:   Breast Cancer International

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The BCI President, who is also the CEO of the Peace and Love Hospitals, said highlighting the financial burden of diabetes, stroke and hypertension for instance would jolt policy makers into formulating more proactive programs to stem the increasing  wave, while creating awareness about the associated dangers for the unsuspecting public.

“The National Media Commission, and the National Communications Authority, regulators of the sector, the Ghana Journalists Association, and owners of private media houses should coordinate efforts to make this a reality. Our health is our wealth,” she reiterated.

Dr. Wiafe was speaking at the third in the series of the BCI-Delta Airlines sponsored free breast screening exercise at the Saint Bakhita Catholic Church, community twenty, Lashibi, on the spintex road, Accra.

Dr. Wiafe, who credited the media for accomplishing several national engagements, including helping stabilize the country’s democratic dispensation, said “it was about time the media shifted focus, and devoted more air time and print space to non-communicable diseases”, which she said “ had been a silent killer, needlessly claiming thousands of innocent productive lives.”

Turning to the Lashibi screening, Dr. Wiafe encouraged the women to periodically carry out their own breast self- examination, and report any abnormality to hospitals for further investigations and prompt treatment.

She commended the leadership of the Saint Bakhita catholic church for organizing the maiden health fair,  which was designed to bring healthcare to the doorstep of the faithful, and encouraged the congregation, especially those with suspicious cases, to resist the fear of stigmatization and step out for treatment.

The renowned breast surgeon counselled the women against attributing or linking breast cancer to demonic forces or any other superstitious belief, insisting that while causes of the disease remain unknown, risk factors, including poor dietary habits, alcohol intake, genetics and smoking among others, remain dangerous to the health of those with a family history of breast cancer.

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Credit: BCI

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Dr. Wiafe, while reviewing operations for the just-ended year, singled out for commendation, United States based Direct Relief, as the single largest benefactor, for shipping container loads of assorted, life-saving medicines free of charge to teaching hospitals, hospitals, polyclinics,  clinics and chip compounds across the country.

“Direct Relief, has been of immense help to this country through the various medicines and hospital consumables they shipped down to us all year round. They were phenomenal in 2016 in particular, given the frequency, and volumes of donations which  cut-across all medical conditions for our health care institutions.”

“Direct Relief and their partners, gave meaning and expression to affordable health care for all,” she noted.

Speaking at premises of the Peace and Love Hospital, Oduom, Kumasi,  Dr. Wiafe, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of the facility, has handed over the first consignment of drugs donated by Direct Relief this year, to several health institutions.

The package included mental health donations of Invega Risperdal, and risperidone among others, donated by Janssen through Direct Relief for “Basic Needs Ghana,” and some Hospitals in Tamale and parts of northern Ghana, in a multi-year long program with Janssen.

The breast surgeon charged the beneficiaries to maintain the level of integrity BCI is noted for in the clearing and distribution of the drugs, and ensure they are not sold to the public.

“We continue to receive these consignments because we adhere strictly to the standards and tenets of our donors and I implore you not to do anything to the contrary, which would invariably affect the poorest of the poor, our intended target,” she added.

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Credit: BCI

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