The Nhyieso Parliamentary Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Faustina Derry has organized a free breast screening exercise in her constituency, with a dare to break the NPP’s electoral jinx in its strong hold.

Speaking to journalists at the Santase Market where the event took place, she served notice that the National Democratic Congress is set to make history in the Nhyieso Constituency in the 2024 elections.

The free breast cancer screening formed part of her contribution to the national Breast Cancer Fight; highlighted annually in the month of October.

Faustina Derry expressed concern several women in the markets would rather spend all their time trading than take a little time off for such crucial health checks.

She lamented, “Our dear mothers are always so busy at the marketplaces that they do not find time to go to the hospital. They will wait till something happens before they go for checkup, so I decided to bring this screening to their door step”

“At least they could find out if there is anything wrong with their breasts at an early stage. Many end up having their breasts cut off because they got deceived by spiritualists when they saw symptoms,” She added.

Breast Cancer Screening

At the Santase Market, traders took advantage of the proximity of the screening center to get their breasts examined.

Many shared varied views about breast cancers; some attributing the cause to vigorous sucking from male partners.

“I believe the men who end up biting nipples during intimacy cause these sicknesses. This should be a caution to the men who like sucking breasts,” Mariama Yahya a trader opined.

Adiza Zechariah, another trader advocated for women to take responsibility by performing self-breast examinations and making regular visits to the hospitals to get checked.

Early Detection

The medical team from the Suntreso Hospital gave assurances that all medical facilities have been mandated to do primary breast screening for referral to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Senior Nurse Diana Sentra was hopeful that deaths from breast cancers will drastically reduce if symptoms are detected early.

The early screening campaigns have gained prominence nationwide as 4000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Ghana every year.

Out of this number; 70% of patients are documented to visit the hospital with advanced stage of malignant cancer; increasing the risk of fatalities.

In the year 2019 alone, some 2,900 women died of breast cancers ranking it among the most common cancers among women in the country.

Electoral Chances

The Parliamentary Candidate Faustina Derry indicated that her support especially from women in the constituency gives her bright chances at causing an upset to the NPP’s unchallenged claim to the Nhyieso Seat.

Santase is my home ground. “Obaapa Fausty is joining the 2024 parliamentary race because of these women you see today.

I am their daughter and they know me. In fact they are the ones campaigning for me. They want me to go out there to help them solve their issues,” she told GHONE News’ Reynold Paa Kwesi Dadzie.

The 2020 elections saw the NPP’s Dr Steven Amoah poll fifty-one-thousand-five-hundred-votes constituting 81% to win convincingly ahead of the NDC’s Richard Prah who polled 11,000; approximately 17% of votes.

The party hopes to ride on the feminine appeal in the female candidate to make some positive showing come 2024.

By: Ivan Heathcote – Fumador