Madam Anima Wilson, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, has appealed to women to stop blaming the devil for diseases that afflict them and seek early medical attention.
She spoke against the situation where most women consult fetish priests and prayer camps for treatment of ailments instead of seeking early medical attention and said this attitude had resulted in the death of many women from diseases which could have been treated in hospital.
Madam Wilson was speaking at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Manso-Nkwanta Traditional area as part of activities marking this years' "Pink Month".
The month of October has been designated worldwide as "Pink Month" to create awareness of breast cancer and its devastating effects on women and society.
The durbar, which was preceded by a float through the principal streets of the town and breast screening exercise, was organised by Breast Care International (BCI), a Kumasi-based NGO, which seeks to promote breast cancer awareness in the country in collaboration with the Amansie West District Assembly.
It aimed at educating the people especially women in the area on the dangers of the disease and the need to undertake regular self-examination of the breast and report any abnormal signs early for treatment.
Madam Wilson said most women are dying of breast cancer due to ignorance and commended BCI for its untiring efforts at creating awareness of the disease among Ghanaian women.
Dr (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe Addai, the Chief Executive Officer of BCI, said women below the age of 50 are getting the disease rapidly in developing countries.
She said illiteracy, ignorance and poverty were the main causes of the soaring rate of the disease in developing countries and that BCI had taken it as a responsibility to create extensive awareness among women to enable them undertakes regular breast examination and report cases early to health facilities for treatment.
Mr Charles Oti Prempeh, District Chief Executive for Amansie West, said through the United Nations' Millennium Villages Project, the district is improving health facilities and other social services.
He said the Assembly was liaising with the traditional authorities in the area to undertake a district- wide sanitation campaign not only to beautify the towns and villages but to reduce the spread of diseases in the district.
Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah II, Paramount chief of the Manso-Nkwanta Traditional area, appealed to men to support their wives to seek early treatment for their ailments.