Dr. Nyarkotey Writes To Her Excellency Rebecca Akufo Addo For Her Role As Cancer Ambassador

Her Excellency,
Congratulations for the acceptance of the role as cancer ambassador specifically childhood cancers! I was very excited to read this news via First Lady cuts sod for "cancer children hostel"ghana-news.adomonline.com/news/.../photos-first-lady-cuts-sod-for.php.

I realized this as a major breakthrough in fulfillment of the government Manifesto which seeks to recognize cancers as a national challenge. According to the NPP Manifesto chapter 10 page 121 states that “NPP recognizes the increasing incidence of cancers (childhood cancers, breast cancer, and cervical cancer, prostate and other cancers) as a national problem.

In this regard, the NPP will establish centers at all levels of our healthcare delivery system for screening, diagnosis, early detection and prevention of these cancers, and this will be paid for under the restructured and revitalized NHIS”

As the president of Cancer Voices we look forward to work with you and your administration to advance the interests of Ghanaians with cancers. We know that your family is familiar with the impact of this disease, which takes the lives of 5,000 Ghanaians each year.

As the foremost advocate for cancer patients, families and those at high risk of developing the disease, the Alliance works closely with organizations, communities and the government to help implement this cancer policy to fulfill its promise to the Ghanaian public.

The Alliance advocates for policies that help cancer access necessary diagnostic, treatment and palliative services. Affordable insurance and disability benefits are also of great importance to our community. In addition, we advocate for the speedy approval of safe and effective drugs and devices.

As you know, cancer is the deadliest ailment, with fewer than 50 percent of those diagnosed surviving five years. There is no reliable early detection test for some of these cancers like prostate cancer, which too often takes a terrible toll, financially and emotionally, on the men who are diagnosed and their families.

The Alliance supports your acceptance of this role and the government policy on cancers by recognizing it as a national challenge and we hope to see it implementation soon, including the patient protections. We call on you to go beyond this role by helping to frontier the government policy of recognizing cancer as a national challenge to fulfill the campaign promises.

We look forward to working with you to help you achieve your role as cancer ambassador with our expert team; we provide vital services through evidence based policies that support the Ghanaian with cancer.

Congratulations again on your role as ambassador. We look forward to a productive relationship with your administration as we work together on behalf of the Ghanaian with cancer and their families.