The Union for International Cancer Control, a body spearheading the fight against cancer, has selected Kumasi to be part of the ‘City Cancer Challenge [cican]2025’’ project.
This recognition makes Kumasi the first African city and fourth in the world to become part of the project, which aims at increasing access to quality cancer treatment.
At a ceremony to officially launch the project in Kumasi in the Ashanti region, the mayor of Kumasi, Osei Assibey Antwi, said the selection was based purely on merit.
City Cancer Challenge is a multi-sectorial initiative supporting cities to take centre stage in the design, planning and implementation of cancer treatment solutions.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Union for International Cancer Control, and would be receiving technical and financial support towards the prevention and control of cancers.
As part of the agreement, it would provide residential and office accommodation to coordinate activities with the Union for the success of the project.
According to the KMA boss, Osei Assibey Antwi, the project was the outcome of his recent participation in the World Cancer Leaders Summit held in Mexico under the theme “Cities driving change”.
The project is bringing together governments, NGOs, United Nation Agencies, domestic and international businesses to turn political commitments made at the global level into fully functional , comprehensive cancer solutions that would benefit more people across the world.
“Lets me use this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the leadership of the UICC and the World Cancer Leader’s Summit for acknowledging the suitability and capability of Kumasi and for that matter Ghana; for this all important project,” he said.
“Again , I want to thank Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and entire medical personnel in the metropolis for their efforts at controlling cancer in our city which attracted the UICC to Kumasi”, he stated.
He pointed out that Kumasi being the centre for cancer control in Africa, the KMA and other stakeholders have to take all the necessary measures to make the project achieve its aim.
Consequently, KMA has undertaken to provide a secretariat to begin with, and to have a city manager appointed to serve as the liaison officer between Kumasi City and UICC.
The Minister of Health , Dr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, reiterated government’s determination to fight cancer cases in the country.
“We have put in place measures to control cancer cases in the country which is killing a lot of people in the country”.
He stated that, the Ministry of Health will collaborate with KMA to ensure successful implementation of this laudable project.
He commended the mayor of Kumasi, Osei Assibey Antwi and his team for a good work done .
Giving a technical presentation about the cancer in the country, the Director of Medical Services of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr Baffour Awuah, stated that statistics gathered at the Cancer Registry indicated that of all the cancer cases recorded, males constituted 36 percent while females were 64 percent.
According to him, since the inception of the Kumasi Cancer Registry about five years ago, it has recorded 2,566 cases.
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