The scary mortality rate associated with breast cancer means that a call for the scrapping of costs of treatment is well-intentioned to save lives. Coupled with the establishment of a specialized breast cancer hospital would ease the fight against the canker that is said to be the leading killer cancer in women.
The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng has made a passionate appeal to government and stakeholders in the health sector to as a matter of urgency, absorb all costs related to breast cancer treatment.
This he said is because many patients are unable to afford though it has been subsidized under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“These poor patients would rather sit home and lose their lives because they cannot pay for the treatment,” he said.
Mr. Kwarteng said a specialized hospital would enable easy access to treatment and proper care given to patients, as research would be conducted into the disease to come out with new ways to treat it.
Patients who are fortunate to get support from organizations and benevolent individuals have their lives spared as in the case of 60-year-old Esther Kwabea.
It has been over a year since she had breast cancer manifest itself like a small boil grown close to the nipple on her left breast.
Madam Kwabea thought the swelling was a ‘usual’ disorder, which could be treated at home as she normally does.
So she did not go to the hospital to be diagnosed.
Many Ghanaians have the impression that boils are not deformities, which need medical treatment because they believe it will exacerbate the condition.
Madam Kwabea’s boil turned out not to be just the usual defects that are ‘successfully’ treated at home.
According to her, the boil squirted blood intermittently after periods of self-treatment.
Then an active businesswoman, she had to seek medical attention at the Dodowa Government hospital because the pain she experienced was dreadful.
To her shocking surprise, diagnosis revealed she had breast cancer.
On referral to the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital, doctors recommended eight Chemotherapy sessions for her to undergo.
As she awaited help to undergo the treatment, the cancer was gradually ‘eating’ her affected breast away.
Sleeplessness, pains, and thoughts filled her nights.
Not long until she met Crime Check Foundation (CCF). The Foundation under its Health Check Series through which many sick and deprived individuals are assisted to seek proper medical attention offered to pay for her Chemotherapy treatment.
This was before the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) was established a few months later specifically to see to the well-being of breast cancer patients.
“I could have died if I had not met CCF because there was no way I would have been able to foot my hospital bills. So many other patients lose their lives because they cannot pay their bills,” the mother of two told crimecheckghana.org.
After some months of undergoing Chemotherapy, it has become necessary to have Madam Kwabea’s affected breast removed completely.
Doctors at Ghana’s premier hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching hospital recommend she undergo mastectomy; a surgery to remove a breast. Sometimes other tissues near the breast, such as lymph nodes, are also removed. This surgery is most often used to treat breast cancer. In some cases, a mastectomy is done to help prevent breast cancer in women who have a high risk for it.
“Doctors at the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital said I would have to undergo surgery to remove my breast completely to save my life,” she indicated.
With a covered National Health Insurance Scheme, she is to pay Two Thousand Six Hundred Ghana cedis to enable her to undergo the excruciating treatment exercise. The amount she says she is unable to afford hence the intervention of MBCF.
“When I was given the invoice for the bills, I could not believe the amount. I am covered by the National Insurance policy but the amount is still exorbitant.’
“The following day, I intentionally went back to the hospital and enquired from the doctors how much I would have paid without the health insurance coverage. They told me it was going to cost me Four Thousand Five Hundred Ghana cedis and above,” she complained.
Aside from that, she said she has been asked to visit the hospital for a bill for drugs she would buy prior to the day of the surgery, which would be carried out on December 22, 2022.
Madam Kwabea recounts a breast cancer patient with whom they both started Chemotherapy treatment.
She said her friend along the line had to break from the sessions because her husband who supported her had lost her job and therefore she could no longer pay Three Hundred and Fifty Ghana cedis for each treatment session.
Madam Kwabea said she was lucky to have had Crime Check Foundation come her way, as she was able to attend all her sessions successfully.
She said her friend was fortunate she did not lose her life. A few days later the hospital informed her she has been offered aid to continue with her treatment.
“This is why it is urgently necessary to completely scrap every form of bills that would hinder breast cancer patients from accessing treatment. If it is possible, government should establish a specialized breast cancer hospital to make access to treatment very easy. This way, I am certain that the mortality rate associated with the disease will be reduced drastically,” Mr. Kwarteng makes a strong appeal to government and stakeholders.
Madam Kwabea also pleaded with government to come to their aid pending a total scrap of costs of treatment.
Breast cancer is said to be the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer mortality in Ghanaian women.
Let us take action now to save our women. Breast cancer fight should be daily, not yearly.
The Meena Breast Cancer campaign
The Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) has launched an action plan to fight breast cancer consistently throughout the year and not limited to a period in a year.
Its strategy includes embarking on campaigns in schools, religious and other institutions to educate and undertake screening exercises for students and staff. Since MBCF’s establishment, it has visited the Potsin Ahmadiyya Senior High School and the Kasoa Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association in the Central Region.
Accra Girls Senior High School has also had its share of the outreach. The Foundation is seeking to continue with the drive.
Wife of Mr. Oppong Kwarteng, Mrs. Amina Oppong Kwarteng who lost her life to the disease inspired the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation.
While she was in her sick bed, she pledged to assist poor patients.
Her husband is now keeping her dream alive through the Foundation.
To support the course of the MBCF, kindly contact 0248895381/0242074276 via WhatsApp or phone call.
By Rudolph Nandi
