ACCRA, Oct 27 (The African Portal) – Limited access to screening services and persistent beliefs that breast cancer is caused by witchcraft are delaying early detection and treatment among women in Paakro, a rural community in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
The concern emerged during a community health and mentorship outreach organised by the Muslimah Mentorship Network on Saturday, October 24, 2025. The event brought together women from the Fante Town, Abaase and Adjinase Piem electoral areas for breast screening and education sessions.
The initiative formed part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month and combined medical outreach for women with mentorship discussions for teenage girls on education, reproductive health and personal development.
Founder of the Muslimah Mentorship Network, Bilkis Nuhu Kokroko, said the programme was designed to support women and girls in underserved communities who often lacked access to health services and guidance.
“Our goal is to reach communities where women rarely go for medical checks and where girls also need direction and mentorship,” she said. “We see this as a mother-daughter approach; mothers benefit from medical care and health education, while the girls learn about responsibility and the importance of staying focused on their education.”
She added that the Network would continue organising community outreaches to promote preventive health and empower young women to make informed choices.
“We want to build communities where women take charge of their health and girls take charge of their future,” she said.
Leading the screening exercise, Dr Abdul Wadud Mohammed, a volunteer medical doctor, said misconceptions and poor access to health facilities were major barriers to early detection of breast cancer in rural areas.
“Many women delay seeking medical help because they believe breast cancer is spiritual or caused by witchcraft,” he said. “Others prefer herbal remedies until it’s too late. These beliefs are dangerous because early detection is what saves lives.”
He said the medical team educated participants on how to conduct self-breast examinations and encouraged them to seek professional help when they noticed any unusual changes.
“We taught them to check for lumps, nipple discharge, or changes in the breast skin,” he said. “We also urged regular hospital visits for screening and advised families to support women to do so.”
Samira Mastura Sulleman, a senior public health nurse from Manna Mission Hospital who conducted most of the examinations, said six women were referred for further medical tests after suspicious signs were detected.
“Some of the women had lumps or nipple discharges that required further checks,” she said. “They were referred for mammograms and biopsies to rule out cancer.”
The Assembly Member for Fante Town Electoral Area, Abdul Lateef Saeed, commended the Muslimah Mentorship Network for bringing health professionals to the community, describing the outreach as the first major breast cancer screening exercise in the area.
“We need more of these initiatives to reach people who rarely visit hospitals,” he said. “It’s the only way to change attitudes and save lives.”
As part of the day’s activities, mentors from the Muslimah Mentorship Network also held interactive sessions with teenage girls on issues affecting their wellbeing, including teenage pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, peer pressure, drug use and early relationships.
