The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has marked World Cancer Day 2026 with a strong call for intensified prevention and early detection efforts, amid a sharp rise in cancer cases across the region.

The commemoration, held under the theme “Closing the Cancer Care Gap: Community Action for Prevention and Early Detection in Ghana!”, highlighted persistent inequalities in cancer awareness, access to screening, and timely diagnosis, particularly in developing regions.

Speaking at the event, Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng, said the focus of this year’s celebration is to mobilise collective action to address gaps in cancer care.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) African Region, cancer is fast becoming one of the leading causes of premature death on the continent, with over one million new cases diagnosed annually and nearly the same number of deaths recorded each year.

In the Ashanti Region, the trend is increasingly alarming. Dr. Adomako Boateng disclosed that 18,104 cancer cases were recorded in 2024, representing a 33.6 percent increase compared to the previous year.

He noted a significant surge in breast and cervical cancers, with breast cancer cases rising by approximately 92 percent and cervical cancer by 75 percent. Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the region.

The Regional Health Directorate is therefore urging individuals, communities, civil society organisations, and the media to actively support cancer awareness campaigns and promote regular screening.