The Office of the President has marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a special Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Programme for staff, held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the Banquet Hall.

The event, themed “Catch it Early, Treat it Right, and Survive it,” featured a range of activities including experience sharing, a health talk, a panel discussion, an open forum, and breast cancer screening sessions at the Presidential Clinic.

| Moderator Lily Mohammed

Addressing participants, the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Finance and Administration, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, encouraged regular screening, noting that breast cancer was both treatable and curable when detected early.

She reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening health infrastructure, improving access to quality care, and investing in training and essential medicines.

“It is our collective duty to support efforts toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to reduce maternal mortality and non-communicable diseases such as breast cancer by 2030,” she said.

Nana Oye Bampoe Addo described early detection as “an act of love, courage, and survival”.

“Let’s catch it early and give life a fighting chance. When we treat it right, we restore hope. And when we survive it, we inspire countless others to do the same,” she stated.

She also highlighted that the MahamaCare Trust Fund covered specialist-level treatments for chronic diseases, including breast cancer, complementing existing support under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Deputy Chief of Staff further called for greater solidarity and empathy toward survivors, adding, “No woman, no family, no one should walk this path alone.

“Let’s fight not only for a cure, but for dignity, hope, and healing for all.”

| Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah and Nana Oye Bampoe Addo sharing a laugh

Deputy Minister for Health and distinguished surgeon, Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah, also addressed the gathering, urging participants, particularly women, to make regular screening a personal priority.

“Together, we can build a future where no one faces breast cancer alone where survival is not a privilege, but a promise,” she said.

Each year, the month of October is globally observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote awareness, early detection, and timely treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, with 670,000 deaths recorded worldwide.