Breast and Prostate Cancers: Over 500 People Benefit from Screening at Obuasi.

Obuasi: Underground Mining Alliance (UMA), a contractor of AngloGold Ashanti operating at Obuasi, has organised breast and prostate cancer screening for members of the Ghana Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GTDA) at Obuasi. Over 500 members of the Association participated in the exercise, which commemorated the 2024 Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Health professionals from AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation were on hand to screen and counsel participants on prevention and screening, and treatment of the deadly diseases. According to Ghana News Agency, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed annually throughout October, encouraging the public to routinely go for screening to ensure detection at a treatable stage before it becomes fatal. The global theme for the 2024 Breast Cancer Awareness Month is, 'No One Should Face Breast Cancer Alone.' Mr. Phillipe Pearse, Project Manager of UMA, noted the company's decision to involve dressmakers and tailors due to the wide range of people they interact with. He emphasized the importance of educating GTDA members so they could extend this knowledge to their clients, helping to dispel misconceptions about breast cancer and encouraging early screening. Mr. Pearse shared his personal connection to the cause, recounting how early detection helped his parents survive both breast and prostate cancer. He expressed that such educational and screening initiatives are vital ways for UMA to give back to the communities where they operate. Mr. Lawrence Turkson, the National Project Manager of UMA, reiterated the significance of screening for early detection, highlighting its role in successful treatment and the company's commitment to fulfilling its corporate social responsibility through community engagement. Madam Bernadette Serwaah Osei Kuffour, a Senior Medical Officer of AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation, pointed out that despite progress in the fight against breast and prostate cancer, inadequate awareness continues to be a major barrier. She explained that insuffic ient information has allowed misconceptions to spread, leading some individuals to seek non-medical treatments. She praised UMA for taking the lead in raising awareness and expressed optimism that education would encourage more people to seek early detection. Madam Irene Aba Austin, Chairperson of Zone Three of the Obuasi Chapter of GTDA, commended UMA for their efforts. She acknowledged the challenges posed by their profession in accessing routine screenings and urged members to take advantage of screening opportunities when available.