In order to deepen the awareness and eliminate the myth that cancer is incurable, Emofra Africa in collaboration with Ridge Hospital and supported by Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has organized a cancer conference on the theme "Cancer in Africa: Prevention, Treatment and Cure."

The two-day conference which ended last Tuesday brought together both professionals and lay persons to deliberate cancer as a disease and its types-cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, among others and the trends of treatment.

Cancer is considered a silent disease due to the slowness and quietness with which it deals with its victims until it escalates. Experts say although the disease has not been reckoned as the number killer disease, it is sending more people to their graves than HIVAIDS and Tuberculosis which are ranked among the world's most deadliest diseases.

Addressing the conference, Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, described cancer as a serious problem affecting many people in the world especially women in Africa considering the increasing effects on the victims, families and friends.

She said if cancer is diagnosed early and treated, and with the needed support from family members and friends the disease could be effectively checked.

"With early diagnosis ,the right treatment plan ,solid support unit of family and medical professionals ,cancer no longer has to be viewed as a death sentence ,but rather as a disease that can be faced headon with a successful outcome," she said.

She noted that unlike HIV/AIDS, malaria and other deadly diseases, cancer has not been given the needed attention; but was of the opinion that this has to be reversed given its huge cost for treatment.

Mrs. Mills disclosed that 240,000 women worldwide died annually from cervical cancer with about 80% of this figure occurring in Africa. This, she believed, calls for critical information about the devastating effects of cancer.

She advised governmental agencies and hospitals to collaborate to deepen awareness on the disease.

"It is essential for government agencies to work with hospitals to create an avid and widespread cancer awareness campaign. It is only through early detection, through screening, change in lifestyle and diet that we can successfully battle some of the prevalent cancers we face today."

Mrs. Grace Larkuo Marabe, President of Emofra Africa, disclosed that experts has indicated cancer, as a disease costing more in productivity and loss of life than malaria, AIDS, the flu and other diseases and thus has become a global heath and economic problem prompting the need to put Africa at the forefront of the discussion on how to prevent cancer.

"Cancer has become a global health and economic problem and it is important that Africa is at the forefront of the discussion on how to prevent and treat the disease in the continent."

She emphasized that as a continent, there is the need to find solutions to our problems rather than relying solely on the West to research, find the cure and then we go in to adopt.

Emofra Africa is non-profit organization based in Virginia, USA and Accra, Ghana and is dedicated to strengthening and improving healthcare for families in Africa and promoting a healthier environment.