The Head of Paediatric Oncology Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Dr. Vivian Painstil has said that there has been an increase in the number of cancer cases recorded in children as 175 cancer cases were recorded in 2022.
In her words, more than one and half the number of cancer cases were recorded this year as 110 -120 cases were recorded in the previous year.
She said the increase in cases could be because of early detection training or due to increase in cases.
She encouraged parents to look out for early signs (persistent) like spots in the eye, squint, swelling or lumps anywhere in the body, unexplained weight loss, severe body pains, frequent vomit and abnormality in gait.
Government has added four Childhood cancers onto the National Health Insurance Scheme, however not many children are registered on the scheme.
The Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Authority Dr. Ernest Kwarko promised to register 1000 children with cancer as part of his Project One Thousand initiative to onboard children living with cancer on the scheme.
