Health Director at Healthnet Medical Centre, Dr. Dennis Bortey, has stressed the importance for women diagnosed with breast cancer to seek early treatment rather than visiting prayer camps for a miracle.

Dr Dennis Bortey reiterated that the issue of breast cancer is not one to be joked with, hence visiting herbalists, traditionalists and even prayer camps before a medical professional attend to the case will further complicate matters.

“Miracles do happen but are not that common and not that cheap, so if it’s all about prayer then we should close down all the hospitals and go to prayer camps and let them pray for the breast cancer and then let everybody get healing.”

Dr Bortey recounted several situations where patients visit the hospital only after the situation had gotten worse which, in most cases, were too late to do anything about.

Speaking about one woman who rejected several pleas from family and professionals to undergo surgery when she was diagnosed only to return to the hospital when things had gotten out of hand, the medical professional said, “they have gone to places and they have put all kinds of leaves on breasts that have now fungated and burst out and finally came to the hospital at which time we had no option than to do surgery and remove the breast totally from there.”

He noted due to various believes and cultural systems, the first thing people think about when they have been diagnosed of breast cancer is that ‘it is spiritual’.

He was worried about the number of women who choose to visit prayer camps and other places for miracles before seeking medical attention.



“We have ample evidence that people go to all these places. They see herbalists, they see traditionalists, they see witch doctors and finally they are brought to the hospital and by the time they are brought, it’s a bit too late. Breast cancer is a problem everywhere in the world even the Western world where we have first class healthcare- they still have breast cancer where they do not even believe in witches and these things that we do.”

Dr. Bortey noted that he is not against prayers, but urged victims to the hospital while backing it with prayers, quoting a verse from the Bible that, “Faith without works is dead.”

“It’s not that of a spiritual problem yet people would always go there and to go and seek for prayers and prayers. We need to understand that the power of prayer works and if it works you do not have to be at the prayer camp. You can still do your medicals whiles you are still praying.”