Men must stop overlooking hypertension, it’s a silent killer — Dr. Yambah warns

The School of Communication and Media Studies (SCMS) at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has stepped into uncharted territory by launching its maiden Testicular Health Awareness seminar.

The programme, powered by the Department of Strategic Communication, aimed to draw attention to men’s health issues that are often overlooked in Ghanaian society.

Opening the seminar, moderator Evans Boahene explained that the event was designed to shift attention beyond the conventional October breast cancer campaigns.

“It’s been weeks and months of preparations towards this programme where we seek to deviate from what has become the normal in October, that we celebrate women and try to create awareness on breast cancer.

This year, the School of Communication and Media Studies, as part of our projects, has decided to focus on our gentlemen, our fathers, our brothers, our soon-to-be husbands.

We want to focus on testicular health and create the awareness that it is not only the breasts that can be affected, but the testes as well,” he said.

He further reminded participants that the event was being broadcast on Radio Windy Bay and streamed live on Facebook, urging them to be mindful:

“As you sit and listen to the various lectures that will come your way, make sure you’re well-positioned so that you will not become a trend on TikTok.”

The programme began with an opening prayer from Reverend Sister Joanne Tory, who asked God’s blessing on the organisers, lecturers, and participants:

“We thank you for the gift of this opportunity to be gathered here this morning to carry out this awareness campaign of particular health. Bless our efforts and guide every activity with your wisdom,” she prayed.

When invited to speak, Dr. John Kanyiri Yambah, Medical Director of UEW, commended the initiative and stressed the importance of addressing male reproductive health. He said campaigns like this one were long overdue.

“In fact, yesterday one of my colleagues was saying that the testis is the most marginalised part of the body, and it is true.

“Over the decades we see a lot of campaigns on women’s health, breast cancer and all of that. But this is my first time seeing a campaign on the testis and its health.

“Let’s give a round of applause again for the School of Communication and Media Studies. That is so thoughtful of them,” Dr. Yambah said.

He also shared a personal story to underline the urgency of early detection.

“Last year, I lost a very close friend of mine because he was having an issue with his testis. And because it’s not so popular, doctors were finding it difficult to treat him, and he didn’t know much about it. So he did not check early, and he lost his life,” he revealed.

The event brought together students, lecturers, medical professionals, and members of the UEW community. By placing men’s health under the spotlight, the SCMS hoped to break cultural silence, encourage regular medical checks, and save lives.