As Ghana proudly marks another Pink October, celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month, hundreds of women in the northern part of the country say there is little to celebrate. Behind the pink ribbons and awareness campaigns lies a painful reality — the absence of a radiotherapy centre in northern Ghana, forcing patients to endure long, costly, and emotionally draining journeys to the south for lifesaving treatment.
Lives on Hold Amid Long Journeys
For breast cancer patients like Amina Alhassan (not her real name), a mother of six from the Yendi Municipality, surviving cancer has meant fighting two battles — one against the disease and another against poverty and distance.
She recounts how, during her radiotherapy sessions in Kumasi, she often slept on wooden benches at lorry stations because she could not afford lodging.
“I had to borrow money for transport and food. Sometimes I slept at the station because I couldn’t afford a guesthouse. The therapy drained me financially,” she said.
Her story echoes across the five northern regions — Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West — where women diagnosed with breast cancer must travel over 400 to 600 kilometres to access radiotherapy in either Accra or Kumasi.
Awareness Without Access
Since its inception in 1985, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has made major strides in early detection and education. In Ghana, awareness efforts intensified after 2020 when the National Health Insurance Scheme began covering breast cancer treatment drugs.
But in the north, health experts and survivors describe the campaign as “hollow” without access to comprehensive treatment. While screening has improved, the absence of radiotherapy — a critical post-surgery therapy — continues to deny patients full recovery.
The Data Behind the Despair
According to data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), Ghana recorded 4,645 new breast cancer cases in 2020, representing 20.4% of all cancer cases that year.
At the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) alone, 1,913 breast-related cases were recorded between 2012 and 2021, out of which 722 (37.7%) were confirmed as malignant.
A 2022 JAMA Network Open study further revealed that while 70% of breast cancer patients in Ghana required radiotherapy, only 23% actually received it — a statistic that underscores the depth of inequity in cancer care access.
Experts Decry ‘Geographical Injustice’
Dr. Abdul-Rashid Timtooni Iddrisu, Head of the Oncology Unit at TTH, described the situation as a “geographical injustice” that continues to cost lives.
“Radiotherapy is not optional. It’s a standard part of breast cancer treatment after surgery. Because we don’t have a machine here, many of our patients either never go or start late — and that reduces their survival chances,” he said.
He explained that the absence of a radiotherapy unit affects not only breast cancer treatment but also other cancers, such as cervical and prostate cancer.
“The few centres in Accra and Kumasi are overstretched. Our patients travel long distances only to compete for limited space,” he added.
Dr. Iddrisu stressed that establishing such a centre would require both strong political will and strategic investment, calling for public–private partnerships to make it possible.
Civil Society Voices Demand Action
Civil society groups in northern Ghana are also amplifying calls for decentralised cancer care.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH), said the lack of radiotherapy facilities in the north perpetuates inequality.
“A radiotherapy centre in Tamale would not only save lives but also ease the financial and emotional burden on poor women. Health equity means access, not distance,” she stressed.
Oncology Nurse Specialist Mrs. Gifty Safo-Annan, who also leads Care for Humanity International, urged the government to go beyond awareness creation and invest in sustainability.
“Installing machines is not enough — we need trained staff, reliable electricity, and proper maintenance to make it work. Otherwise, the machines will just gather dust,” she warned.
Infrastructure Without Completion
In October 2023, the Ministry of Health inaugurated a Cancer Treatment Centre at TTH, expanding diagnostic and chemotherapy services. However, two years later, the centre still lacks a functioning radiotherapy machine and trained personnel to operate it — leaving patients with little choice but to continue their long, grueling journeys southward.
The Human Cost of Delay
Behind every statistic lies a story of pain and perseverance. Many patients, unable to afford transport or accommodation in Accra or Kumasi, simply abandon treatment — a silent tragedy rarely captured in health reports.
“Every month we record 20 to 25 new cases. Most of them come at stage three or four when radiotherapy becomes essential,” Dr. Iddrisu said, adding that “some patients never return after the first trip because the journey is just too hard.”
Call to Action
Health experts and advocates are urging the government to:
Expedite installation of a radiotherapy unit at the Tamale Teaching Hospital;
Train and retain qualified oncologists, radiologists, and technicians;
Build local maintenance capacity for sustainable service delivery;
Partner with private investors and development agencies for funding; and
Intensify public education on early detection and prompt treatment.
A Hope Deferred
Until a radiotherapy facility becomes operational in Tamale, “Pink October” will remain symbolic for many women in northern Ghana — a reminder of how far they still have to travel, both literally and figuratively, to survive breast cancer.
As awareness grows each year, survivors like Amina continue to hope that someday, their daughters will not have to make the same painful journeys for care that could, and should, be available closer to home.
