The Preventive Health Clinic (PHC) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital, with support from Roche, a Swiss multinational healthcare company, has screened members of the University community for breast cancer.
The Head of the PHC, Dr. Arti Singh, stated that the two-day event which is at no cost to the patrons, seeks to raise awareness of the newly established Clinic as well as breast cancer. The event according to her is taking place to coincide with the global month for breast cancer awareness.
She further explained that the establishment of the Clinic is to help prevent and educate people from communicable and non-communicable diseases and added that the KNUST Hospital has surgeons and diagnostic equipment to help those diagnosed with breast cancer after the screening exercise. She continued that cases that need further attention would be referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
According to Dr. Singh, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women excluding melanoma skin cancers and is also the leading cause of cancer death among women in Sub-Saharran Africa.
She continued that it is risky as some women are at greater risk of developing breast cancer than others, it is important to know that every woman is at risk. Between 70-80% of women with the disease have no family history, however, knowledge of risk factors will help individuals and their healthcare practitioners to evaluate and treat them where necessary.
Dr. Singh encouraged the university community to patronize the services of the newly established Clinic for preventive health care. The PHC is opened from Mondays to Fridays from 8:00am to 2:00pm.