Lordina Foundation intensifies campaign on breast, cervical cancers

By George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA
Kpetoe (V/R), July 19, GNA - Apart from intensifying educational programmes on Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS, the Lordina Foundation has also stepped up measures to educate women on breast and cervical cancer.

"You will be offered reproductive health services, especially screening of breast and cervical cancers, syphilis and HIV testing...that way, people will be informed and also have access to breast and cervical cancer services,' the First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, said on Tuesday.

Mrs Mahama was speaking at a collaborative programme of the Organisation of African First Ladies Association (OAFLA- Ghana) and the Ghana AIDS Commission which offered free health screening for women in Kpetoe in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region.

The programme formed part of Mrs Mahama's "Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Keeping Babies Alive Advocacy Campaign" throughout the country.

The women were screened for cervical and breast cancers, syphilis, blood pressure and educated on condom use through demonstrations.

Mrs Mahama, President of OAFLA-Ghana, said her Foundation was committed to community outreach programmes that would provide key services and information on reproduction and liaise with the Ghana AIDS Commission to achieve positive results.

"Let me encourage once again our husbands, fathers and brothers to be active partners so that together we can eliminate AIDS and prevent new HIV infections in Ghana," she said.

The First Lady commended health workers, peer educators, models and ambassadors for their efforts in supporting HIV prevention and care so as to save babies and their mothers.

"Across the country, 70 per cent of all HIV positive pregnant women are receiving medications to prevent their babies from getting infected with HIV...and Ghana must achieve an HIV free generation," she said.

Ms Angela El-Adas, the Director General of Ghana AIDS Commission, in a speech read on her behalf, commended Mrs Mahama for the initiative to save mothers and their babies from the deadly disease.

She said 3,250 women living with cervical cancer in the country were receiving attention, while 90 per cent of women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS had been placed on sustained treatment.

Ms El-Adas said the First Lady's nationwide outreach programme had raised a lot of awareness among women and gave the assurance that the Commission would continue to partner her to achieve positive results.

Mrs Helen Ntoso, the Volta Regional Minister, said the regional figures of HIV and AIDS had reduced from 2.2 per cent in 2014 to 1.7 per cent in 2015 and promised a sustained support that would further reduce the prevalence rate.

She appealed to women to take advantage of the programmes offered by the Lordina Foundation to screen and know their status in those deadly diseases.

GNA