Rotary groups, Battor CCPTC roll out ‘protect your pearl’ project - To fight cervical cancer
The Rotary Club of Accra -East, in collaboration with Rotary Club of Eau Claire, United States of America (USA), has launched a nationwide cervical cancer project to reduce the disease’s prevalence among women in the country.
Dubbed “Protect Your Pearl,” the initiative aims to raise awareness, screen 1,600 women and provide treatment for detected pre-cancer cases across 29 sites in all 16 regions from January 15 to February 22, 2025.
It is also to promote early detection and increase access to preventive measures such as HPV vaccinations and screenings.
The project is being undertaken in collaboration with 54 Rotary Clubs, three Rotaract Clubs and one Interact Club
It is in partnership with the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Centre(CCPTC) at the Catholic Hospital, Battor, Sansure Biotech and Omni Diagnostics.
The launch at Ussher Hospital in Jamestown, saw about 100 women screened, with similar screenings taking place simultaneously in other regions.
Background
In 2023, the club in collaboration with Rotary Club of Eau Claire, arranged a $70,000 global grant from the Rotary Foundation, which allowed them to purchase 50 thermal coagulators—essential devices for cervical cancer treatment.
These devices were donated to the CCPTC, a key institution in Ghana’s cervical cancer prevention efforts.
Led by the Director, Dr Kofi Effah, the CCPTC trained over 50 nurses and redistributed the devices across all 16 regions of Ghana.
Health workers from various institutions were mobilised to ensure the campaign reaches its target.
Rationale
The 9104 District Governor, Florence Maame Hagan, said the programme was a movement aimed at reducing the alarming rate of cervical cancer among women in the country.
“Cervical cancer is a silent threat that continues to claim lives. Yet, it is highly preventable and treatable if detected early,” she said.
Ms Hagan stressed the need for widespread awareness and access to screening, adding that many women succumbed to the disease due to limited knowledge and healthcare resources.
She called for collective action in safeguarding women’s well-being through early screening and preventive measures.
She called on government agencies, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations and individuals to support the initiative and join in the fight against cervical cancer.
“We cannot do this alone. I call on all women to prioritise their health, all families to support their loved ones in getting screened, and all stakeholders to work together to ensure that no woman is left behind,” she said.
Protect your pearl
The President of Rotary Club of Accra -East, Dorothy Ametefe said global statistics indicated that a woman died from cervical cancer every two minutes, hence the need for early detection and treatment.
She expressed the club’s commitment to making ‘Protect Your Pearl’ an annual initiative.
Ms Ametefe said the project aimed to educate men about the human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer.
“HPV can also cause throat cancer, mouth cancer and other forms of cancer in men, so it is in everyone’s interest to support screenings and early detection,”she added.
The Rotary Accra-East President urged all women to take advantage of the screening opportunities saying that: “Cervical cancer, when caught early, is highly treatable. Do not wait until it is too late. Go for screening as regularly as possible—it could save your life.”
Gap, partnership
Dr Effah emphasised the critical role of partnerships in scaling up cervical cancer prevention efforts across the country.
He stressed the significant impact of Rotary’s contributions, particularly the donation of thermal coagulators that had enabled the expansion of treatment centers across all 16 regions of Ghana.
“Before 2000, there were less than five centres in Ghana where pre-cancer treatment was available. Today, thanks to partnerships and funding, nurses in every region are not only screening women but also providing life-saving treatment to prevent cervical cancer,” he explained.
Dr Effah said the country’s education system had traditionally been theory-heavy, leaving health professionals without the practical skills to address pressing health challenges.
This gap, he said, inspired the establishment of the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Training Center in 2017.
“We realised that our medical and nursing graduates needed more hands-on training to address cervical cancer effectively. Now, through our collaboration with the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, health workers are graduating with the ability to screen and treat pre-cancer conditions, ensuring immediate intervention,” he said.
The CCPTC Director called on more organisations to join the fight against cervical cancer, stressing that “with the commitment and passion we can continue to save lives and make cervical cancer a preventable disease in Ghana.”