A women’s cancer care hub, to offer preventative and curative cancer care, has been inaugurated at the HopeXchange Medical Center at Apire in Kumasi.

The facility, a collaborative project of the US government, Ghana’s Ministry of Health (MoH), Yale University, HopeXchange Foundation and the Catholic Church, is fitted with the relevant equipment for the early detection of cancer in women to facilitate timely medical intervention.

It also has a clinical pathology laboratory and surgical suites, for advanced research.

Ms. Stephanie S. Sullivan, US Ambassador to Ghana, who was on hand to unveil the project, said “deaths from breast and cervical cancers can be avoided if the disease is diagnosed early”.

“I am confident that by working hand-in-hand with the Government of Ghana, leading universities, the private sector and communities, we will continue to make a difference in saving women’s lives and chart a bright and healthy future for all Ghanaians,” she noted.

According to the MoH, an average of 3,150 cervical and 4,200 breast cancer cases were recorded in Ghana in 2018, making the disease the leading cause of death amongst women.

Ms. Sullivan described the trend as worrying and consequently, lauded the combined efforts of all partners in successfully establishing the women’s cancer center.

HopeXchange Medical Center, which was constructed in 2008, is an ultra- modern specialist hospital designed to serve as regional hub for medical training, research and patient care.

It has the mission to address public health priorities with particular expertise in maternal-child health, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and cancer.

Mr. Mario Capello, President of the Center, said their research programmes would aim to define cancer incidence in the Ashanti Region and establish appropriate screening methods to improve outcomes.

Mr. Alexander K.K. Abban, Deputy Minister of Health, was hopeful that the cancer center would work hard to provide state-of-the-art treatment services to the public for quality healthcare delivery.