Physician, entrepreneur and health systems leader, Dr. Kwame Asare Obuobi, has urged the public to discard misconceptions and stigma surrounding breast cancer.
He said the disease is not a death sentence during ABN’s free breast cancer and health screening.
Speaking in an interview with Angel FM on Friday, October 30, 2026, Dr. Asare-Obuobi explained that breast cancer is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one person to another or through blood.
According to him, stigma remains one of the major barriers preventing people diagnosed with the disease from seeking medical attention, as some fear being abandoned by their families.
“People get stigmatized a lot for having breast cancer. Which is one of the barriers that makes people not go to the hospitals to check and know what treatment they can get from doctors”, he stated because they feel they will be abandoned by their families,” he stated.
He said such fears could be addressed through Family and Patient-Centred Care, an approach that educates patients and their trusted family members about the disease and encourages them to provide the necessary support throughout treatment.
Dr. Obuobi noted that some people wrongly associate breast cancer with sexual transmission or spiritual causes, misconceptions he believes can be corrected through proper education and awareness.
“Others think it is sexually transmitted. Some also think it is spiritual. But that’s not it,” he said.
Touching on the removal of breasts as part of breast cancer treatment, he described the procedure as one of the most difficult experiences for affected women.
He explained that depending on the stage and nature of the cancer, patients may undergo chemotherapy to help control the disease, while surgery may be recommended to prevent further spread.
However, he said advances in medical treatment have made it possible for women who undergo breast removal to have reconstructive surgery, which involves creating an artificial breast to restore the breast’s appearance.
Dr. Obuobi stressed that undergoing breast reconstruction does not automatically result in death, dismissing misconceptions surrounding the procedure.
“This misconception about removing your breast will cause death is not true,” he said.
He further called on the relevant regulatory bodies to intensify public education and address the fears surrounding breast reconstruction to encourage more women to seek appropriate treatment without delay.
Source: Abigail Ekua Arhin
