By Winifred Lartey
Copyright asaaseradio
Pediatric oncologist Dr Akyaa Bonney has warned that Ghana is recording only a fraction of expected childhood cancer cases in hospitals, raising fears that hundreds of children may be dying undiagnosed or untreated.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (18 September), Dr Bonney said global estimates suggest Ghana should record about 1,500 new cases annually, yet major treatment centers such as Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital together see only 500 to 600 cases each year.
“This disparity means that a number of children are not being seen in hospitals. And it means we are losing them because childhood cancer is curable if you present early,” she explained.
Dr Bonney said the most common cancers in Ghanaian children include Burkitt’s lymphoma, retinoblastoma (eye cancer), Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and leukemia. She added that while survival rates in Ghana stand at 50–60% when cases are detected early, the figure rises to 90% in high-income countries, underscoring the importance of awareness and timely treatment.
She outlined key warning signs using the “CURE” acronym:
Eye signs (white spots, squints, or “cat’s eye” reflections),
Lumps in the neck, abdomen, or armpits,
Unexplained fever lasting more than two weeks,
Aches in bones or joints,
Neurological changes such as headaches, seizures, or sudden personality shifts.
Beyond the medical challenge, both experts highlighted financial and social barriers. Dr. Bonney noted that cancer treatment can last two to three years, causing many parents to abandon treatment due to cost, job loss, or beliefs in spiritual causes.
Akua Sarpong, who founded Lifeline for Childhood Cancer Ghana after losing her daughter to cancer in 2018, said many families face impossible choices.
“In South Africa, families never had to worry about where the money was coming from. But here, people are selling their cloths and houses to treat just one child. That’s wrong. So we set up Lifeline to raise funds to treat, diagnose, and hopefully cure children who present with cancer in Ghana,” she explained.
Dr Bonney praised the foundation’s support, describing it as “phenomenal” in helping families cover the cost of scans, drugs, and long-term hospital stays. Other consistent supporters include ICGC Church, Emmanuel Methodist Church, Little Angels, and smaller donor groups.
“Even when parents are well-to-do, at some point they expend all their funds and need support. Organisations like Lifeline are really offering a lifeline,” she said.
Both women appealed for more public awareness, philanthropy, and stronger government backing, stressing that childhood cancer in Ghana is treatable — but only if children reach hospitals in time.
“Every action we take can save a child,” Dr. Bonney said.
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