He had the shock of his life when he got diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 37.
Jude, not his real name, is disappointed in the lack of awareness on the disease in the country as well as the lack of a national policy to subsidize treatment cost for patients.
If it weren’t for his habit of routine check-ups, he would not have discovered his condition. His diagnosis left him in a state of disbelief, as many questions ran through his mind as a young man in his thirties.
Prior to his diagnosis, he had little knowledge about the condition, which he believed would have helped him notice the symptoms.
“I had no idea what it was. I mean I had heard the disease mentioned but I had little information about the dangers. I remember when I received the email of the result of the biopsy, I was in a meeting and immediately closed and went into my office to find out what it says. Immediately I opened it, I am not a doctor but after researching the terminologies and reading more, I realized it wasn’t looking good. If I had known earlier, I would have realized I was experiencing symptoms of frequent urination”. He narrated
Jude’s case is not exceptional; many Ghanaian men are suffering in silence, unaware of the dangers of prostate cancer or perhaps too afraid to seek help due to the financial commitments involved.
It has been a year and a half since his treatment, but it has not come without breaking the bank. And despite the disturbing situation, there seems to be little awareness of the disease in the country.
“The surgery alone costs seventy-thousand and over. How many people can afford? I agree it should be absorbed on the NHIS. Awareness on the disease is very poor. How many people know that November is prostate cancer awareness month? How many organizations do advocacy to support awareness creation. See the misconception there is, that people 40yrs plus are the ones who develop it, but the young ones are getting it and dying. We need to change the narrative.” He lamented
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in Ghana, with one out of every three men aged 40 and above being at risk.
Data also suggest that only 20 percent of men over 40 have had a prostate cancer screening, while 60 percent of cases are often presented at advanced stages.
In 2022, Ghana recorded 27 thousand new cancer cases, of which more than 2,300 were prostate cancer.
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Source:
3news.com
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