Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd. (CNML) has organised a two-day breast cancer awareness and screening exercise for residents of its two host communities, Digaare and Biung, in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.
The exercise, held as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also benefited employees and subcontractors of the gold mining company.
Under the theme, “Building a Sustainable Future Through Responsible Mining and Healthy Communities,” the campaign sought to educate women on breast cancer, promote early detection, and provide screening services to help identify suspected cases for further medical assessment.
The company also distributed sanitary pads to women and schoolchildren in the two communities.
Superintendent for Local Content and Stakeholder Grievance Management at CNML, Godwin Sebil Bade-Daamir, said the initiative was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts towards the health and wellbeing of its host communities.
He said the company considered it important to raise awareness about breast cancer, given the disease’s impact and the need for early detection.
Mr. Bade-Daamir explained that the exercise was intended to educate residents, screen participants and refer those with suspicious signs to higher health facilities for further diagnosis. He said the campaign also targeted schoolchildren to equip them with knowledge they could share with their mothers and other women in their families.
According to him, about 59 women participated in the first day’s screening at Digaare, with an increase to approximately 100 as the exercise continued on the second day in the Biung community.
He said the screening was still ongoing and that medical professionals would determine whether participants required further assessment.
A staff midwife at the Accra Site Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, Anyenera Matilda Ayinpoka, said the exercise provided an opportunity to educate women on breast cancer and demonstrate how to examine their breasts for possible warning signs.
She said women should seek medical attention when they notice unusual changes, including lumps, changes in breast size or shape, persistent pain and redness.
Madam Ayinpoka advised women who menstruate to examine their breasts about seven days after their menstrual period each month, while those who have reached menopause could choose a fixed date every month for self-examination.
She stressed that self-examination was not a substitute for professional screening but could help women recognise changes early and seek medical attention.
She disclosed that during the screening exercise at Digaare, two women had been referred to the regional hospital for further assessment after medical personnel identified signs requiring additional investigation.
Two beneficiaries, Janet Nkulba and Diana Sobil, welcomed the exercise, saying it was their first experience with breast cancer screening. They said the awareness created had encouraged them to pay closer attention to changes in their breasts and practise regular self-examination.
Assembly Member for the Datuko Electoral Area, Ayariga Mahamadu, commended Cardinal Namdini for the initiative, describing it as an important contribution to the health of women and children in the area.
He said the company had undertaken other corporate social responsibility activities in the electoral area, including the provision of sporting equipment to schoolchildren.
Mr. Mahamadu urged residents to take the awareness messages seriously and share the information with other community members who could not participate in the exercise.
Digaare and Biung were resettled in 2022 to make way for mining operations by Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd.
The two-day campaign forms part of the company’s efforts to promote the wellbeing of communities affected by its mining operations, underlining the importance of health alongside responsible mining and community development.
A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Joshua Asaah | Biung
