Approximately 1,200 children under 15 are diagnosed with cancer annually in Ghana, with the top types being leukaemia, lymphoma, and retinoblastoma.
While 80% of these cases are curable, only 20%-30% receive treatment due to high costs. Since its establishment in 2004, the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has been at the forefront of numerous health interventions.
In a similar fashion, on Thursday, February 12, 2026, the Foundation joined the world to commemorate International Childhood Cancer Day (I.C.C.D) at Mehuntem-Mile 10 in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
It was along the theme, ” Demonstrating Impact: From Challenge to Change, and formed part of the Foundation’s sustained investment in Healthcare delivery within its host communities. The occasion also coincided with a medical outreach, awareness creation as well as free registration of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
As part of the initiative, the Foundation partnered with the municipal health directorate and Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly (PHMA) to educate residents on early warning signs of childhood cancers, prevention measures and available treatment options.
The outreach aimed to equip parents and caregivers with practical knowledge to support early diagnosis.
The Foundation further facilitated free registration and renewal of NHIS for residents to remove financial barriers to healthcare access; “We are not just teaching them; we are also registering them on the NHIS so they can seek care when they need it. It is about bringing the message and also providing the means to act on it, “stated Dr Magdalene Bakari, Lead Specialist for Health Services at Gold Fields Ghana.
Explaining the rationale for the choice of Mehuntem for this year’s commemoration, she said the Foundation rotates its programmes across its catchment communities after having previously organised similar engagements in Subri, Pepesa and Huniso.
She intimated that Mehuntem was prioritized due to the high poverty and fertility rates; “We observed that this community has a large number of young children. We felt it was important to bring this message here and also support them with what they need to seek healthcare, “she opined.
“Childhood cancers occur in our young ones, and as we always say , they are the future of the nation. We want to reiterate the education so that people can identify the signs and symptoms early and seek treatment early, so that outcomes will improve for our children, “She further elaborated.
Abdel Razak Yakubu, Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation explained that since the establishment of the Foundation in 2004, it has invested more than $4.8 million in health- related interventions including adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes, quarterly medical outreach reach exercises and the construction of medical support facilities.
He added that the Foundation has also consistently marked global health awareness campaigns such as World Malaria Day, Menstrual Hygiene Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
By KWAME MALCOLM
