The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has affirmed the government’s commitment to promoting gender equality and social inclusion across all sectors.
She said this on Thursday during a Breast Cancer Sensitisation and Screening Exercise for female inmates and officers of the Nsawam Female Prison.
She noted that since 1985, October has been globally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness, promote early detection, and provide support for those affected by the disease.
“The theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Catch it Early, Treat it Right, and Survive it,’ reminds us that early detection, proper treatment, and sustained awareness are the three vital pillars that save lives,” she said.
She emphasised that the fight against breast cancer extends beyond health; it is a matter of national development and social welfare that impacts livelihoods, families, and communities.
“Our gathering here today is not just another ceremonial observation; it is a call to action and an urgent reminder that breast cancer is not only a medical condition, but a social concern that affects us all,” she stated.
Dr Momo Lartey highlighted that although breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana, many of these deaths are preventable.
“When breast cancer is detected early, treated, and properly managed, survival rates increase dramatically,” she said.
She urged the public to overcome fear, stigma, cultural beliefs, and economic barriers that prevent women from seeking medical attention.
She called on leaders, health professionals, civil society, and the media to break these barriers by raising awareness, expanding access to affordable screening, and ensuring that treatment and care are delivered with dignity and compassion.
She stated that the Ministry’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and other key stakeholders to provide free screening and register vulnerable persons on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was part of this year’s national commemoration, officially launched by the Vice President of the Republic, H.E. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman, on October 1, 2025.
The exercise aimed to raise awareness on the early detection and prevention of breast cancer while extending care and support to women in correctional facilities.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
