Sweden Ghana Cancer Foundation launched

Accra, Nov. 8, GNA – Sweden Ghana Medical Center ( SGMC), providers of specialized cancer treatment, on Thursday launched the Sweden Ghana Cancer Foundation (SGCF), a non-profit organization, in Accra.     The objective of the foundation is to provide financial support for early treatment to Ghana's cancer patients, who would not be able to afford cost of treatment, and to educate the public on cancer prevention.    Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who launched the foundation, said the foundation is to expose and fight the disease, to promote good healthy life and protect the lives of cancer patients.     He said the initiative was a course for humanity and that there was no better way to show love for Ghanaians cancer patients than to support the foundation.     Former President Kufuor said the SGCF would bring life and hope to Ghana’s cancer patients, especially children, and called for the sustenance of the foundation.     He said: “I am appealing to Ghanaians, cooperate bodies and organizations to support the foundation.”     Professor Joe-Nat Clegg-Lamptey, Head of the Department of Surgery at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, said the increasing number of cancer cases, especially breast cancer, in the country was alarming and Government alone could not tackle the situation.      He said the causative factors for the increase in the prevalence of the disease was lack of knowledge, late detection and diagnosis, delayed in treatment procedures, negative socio-cultural beliefs and lack of funds for treatment.     Prof. Clegg-Lamptey said the National Health Insurance Scheme was covering only the basic treatment of breast and cervical cancer, and lauded the SGMC for establishing the foundation.     He said it was important for medical health professionals to continue to educate Ghanaians and extend the coverage of breast cancer management to the rest of the country.     Mrs Gladys Boateng, a survivor of breast cancer,  and Chief Executive Officer of Reach for Recovery, said the organization last year, had screened more than 23,000 cancer patients, and was important to support the foundation to save lives.     She said screening people in the rural areas was difficult, adding, “People in the rural areas believe in their cultural practices and they don’t want anybody to touch their breast in any way for screening.”     “We must extend serious education on cancer to the rural areas, especially breast and cervical cancer and Government should support the treatment of child cancer patients and design appropriate guidelines for cancer treatment.”     Dr Henry Broni-Amponsah, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, said the treatment of cancer was expensive than that of HIV and AIDS and Tuberculosis.     He said: “No matter how little you contribute, it will save the life of somebody. The SGMC has provided seed capital of GHC 200,000 to start the operations of the foundation.”     The board of trustees are  Dr Henry Broni-Amponsah, Board Chairman of SGMC, Mrs Julia Osei Tutu, Wife of Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and Mr Kwasi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association.     GNA ... Read Full Story