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By Elizabeth PUNSU, Kumasi ASA Savings and Loans has renewed its commitment to promoting community health and corporate social responsibility through a series of major breast cancer screening exercises across the Ashanti Region. The initiative, held in line with the globally recognised Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, provided free, critical health services to hundreds of women in three key communities: Bantama – Kwadaso Area, Aboabo – Asawase Area and Obuasi – Bekwai Area. The corporate-sponsored health drives were designed to remove financial and accessibility barriers to early detection, which is crucial in the successful treatment of breast cancer. At each location, residents, especially customers of ASA, benefitted from clinical breast examinations conducted by qualified medical professionals, as well as educational sessions on self-examination techniques and the importance of regular check-ups. The breast cancer screening for the region kicked off at the Aboabo Business Centre at the Asawase Market. At the end of the day, the Area Manager, Mavis Owusu, told the B&FT that 107 women were screened successfully. “As women, there is no specific cause of breast cancer, so it’s important that we protect ourselves by going for medical check-ups at least once a year. Early detection can save lives,” she said. “As a financial institution that works closely with women, we have made it our responsibility to support women in our communities through this screening initiative. We organised this special exercise for our customers in the Aboabo area as well as for other women in the community. It’s open to everyone because we want our clients to stay healthy, seek early treatment when necessary and continue to work hard to support their families,” Ms. Owusu added. At Tutuka- Obuasi, the Bekwai Area Manager, Dennis Amofa-Adarkwah, noted that the screening was done in partnership with the Obuasi SDA Hospital, where the team actively sensitised the beneficiary women on the need to frequently visit health facilities to be screened. Mr. Amofa-Adarkwah indicated that the initiative demonstrated the company’s commitment to the holistic well-being of its clients. “Our relationship with our customers extends beyond banking transactions. We recognise that healthy customers are productive customers; and as an institution that primarily serves women entrepreneurs, we have a responsibility to support their health and well-being,” Mr. Amofa-Adarkwah said. Division Manager, Ashanti South, ASA Savings and Loans, Seth Morgan Arhin, mentioned that at least 150 women were expected to be screened. The Kwadaso area held their breast screening exercise at the Bantama Market where several of the market women, including shoppers, actively participated in the screening. Area Manager, Samuel Odame Sakyi, emphasised that the choice of Bantama Market was strategic, given the high concentration of the company’s customers in the area and the proximity of the targeted participants. “These are hardworking women who drive the local economy. By bringing these essential health services to their doorstep, we are contributing to their longevity and business sustainability,” he said. Market women who participated in the exercise expressed gratitude to the financial institution for the initiative. “I have been banking with ASA for some years, but today they have shown me they care me about more than my money. The screening was free, and the education we received may save lives. This is what true customer care should be about,” a hairdresser at Asawase, Josephine, also known as Yaa Baby, told the B&FT. Another participant, Elizabeth Nyarko, who sells plantain at the Bantama Market, expressed delight at ASA Savings and Loans for bringing the health screening right inside the market. “As market women, we are always busy working and often neglect our health. Bringing this service to our business centre makes it convenient for us to prioritise our health,” she said.
