The month of October is commemorated world wide as Pink October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the Ghanaian Company – GHANCOY 8 - deployed in The Gambia’s North Bank Region, it was an opportunity to offer much needed humanitarian support to the communities in the region.

Personnel of the Company, in collaboration with their Gambian Defence and Security Forces (GDSF) counterparts organized a series of activities to commemorate this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Saturday 12 October 2024. Earlier in the month, the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia – ECOMIG, launched a month-long Awareness Campaign as part of efforts to bring much-needed attention to breast cancer and its related issues.

Speaking on behalf of the Contingent Commander, Lt Col Abraham Puoriyelle Dery at the event in Barra, GHANCOY 8’s Second-In-Command, Major Authur Koomson welcomed personnel of GDSF and members of the community to the Barra Camp. He affirmed ECOMIG and GDSF’s commitment in fighting breast cancer and more importantly to educate the local populace on its related issues.

Addressing the participants in attendance, the co-chair of the ECOMIG Force Headquarters planning committee, Major Eunice Holman highlighted the need for screening as early detection saved lives.

The days activities commenced with a health walk through some of the principal streets of Barra. This was followed with a health lecture by the Contingent’s Medical Officer, Lt (GN) Christopher Sarpong at GHANCOY’s Barra Camp. The day’s events were capped with screening of several locals and GDSF personnel.