German Development Cooperation, in collaboration with Bayer Group, is piloting a prostate intervention project in eight strategically chosen district health facilities within the Greater Accra Region to help in cancer detection and treatment. The district health facilities selected for the project include LEKMA, Weija Gbawe, Mamobi, Shai Osudoku, Ayawaso East, Kpone Katamanso, and GA West Hospitals. The pilot prostate cancer awareness campaign, dubbed Real Men ACT, and being executed by the Little Cow Consulting Limited, expresses a call to action that stands for A-awareness of risks and symptoms, C-check for cancer, and T-receiving treatment. The prostate cancer project is funded through devloPPP and implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Speaking at the launch of the prostate cancer awareness-raising campaign, Dr Holger Till, Team Lead develoPPP, said the hospitals were strategically chosen due to the baseline survey that was conducted in these selected districts. He said that after the baseline survey, it became evident that there was a general lack of appreciation for the risk factors as well as the benefits of early diagnoses. Thus, the campaign aims to raise awareness on the issue of prostate cancer and conscientize men since they are the primary targets to prioritise and make informed decisions. He also said the project was aimed at improving advocacy for men's health and firming up the capacities of health professionals in these districts to improve prostate cancer diagnoses and treatments. 'Again, with this awareness campaign, GIZ and Bayer AG hope to promote public discourse around the subject of prostate cancer. By doing this, we hope men's health will be at the forefront of health in the region, because, let us face it, for the longest time, women's health has been the focus of advocacy centred on breast and cervical cancer,'' he said. He said, 'In addition to the awareness campaign, the project is also strengthening capacities for healthcare professionals offering services at the primary and secondary levels of care.'' The initiative encompasses an array of activities, which include community engagements, workshops, and health discussions on various media platforms. The initiative also attempts to dispel myths and disinformation about the condition, encourage early screenings and testing, and overall foster a culture of regular checks at an OPD or wellness clinic at a various health centres. Dr Isaac Asiedu of the Urology Department at Korle-Bu emphasised the importance of men's tests to boost early diagnosis. The campaign also outdoored Reggie Rockson, a musician as the campaign's ambassador.

Source: Ghana News Agency