The registry was established by Dr. Robert Mitchell Memorial Foundation (RoMMeF), a foundation set up by Mrs. Emma Mitchell, mother of Dr. Mitchell, after losing him to cancer.
The establishment of the cancer registry makes Cape Coast Teaching Hospital the first health facility to operate one, after the two major hospitals, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which had two oncology centres, making it difficult to access cancer services.
The Daily Graphic reports that the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, in a speech read on his behalf, observed that there was the need for the country to get a cost-effective and sustainable method of cancer data collection and analysis, to provide timely information on cancers.
This, he explained, will inform policies and strategies for the country.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr. Eric Ngyedu, said the facility would help the hospital capture accurate data on all patients diagnosed with cancer.
For her part, Mrs. Mitchell noted that her foundation has made significant strides in the fight against cancer.