The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has called for a nationwide awakening to combat prostate cancer and prostatitis affecting men across the coun­try, describing it as quiet but deadly epidemic.Too many families, he said, were mourning preventable losses, as men continue to suffer in silence due to a lack of awareness, access to healthcare, and adequate support.At a media launch of the "Men United Against Prostate Cancer and Prostatitis" campaign in Accra on Wednesday, the Ga Mantse in a speech read on his behalf, em­phasised that his involvement was not merely symbolic but reflected his role as "a father to the nation and a guardian of life."The campaign, jointly organised by the Of­fice of the Ga Mantse and the Cancer Project Foundation, aims to raise awareness, promote early detection, and encourage healthy life­styles among men.Describing the campaign as a national movement, the Ga Mantse announced that it would roll out in major regions before reaching all 276 constituencies, adding that the programme would focus on screening, education, empowerment, and ultimately, saving lives.The Ga Mantse, whose speech was read by the Julia Naa Yartey Adjei-Amoah (Chief Justice of the office the Ga Mantse), called on the government to support the campaign with "political will and funding."He also urged the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to integrate the initiative into the national public health policy framework.King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II further called on traditional leaders across Ghana, religious institutions, corporate entities, and the media to rally behind the campaign."This is your moment to give back and invest in the very lives that make up your workforce and mar­ket,"he mentioned.The President of the Cancer Project Foundation, Mr Paul Koblah Mensa Kud­onoo, in his remarks described the project as a national movement aimed at addressing a pressing and deadly health crisis among men in Ghana.He stated that the campaign was borne out of worrying research findings which revealed that on average, 78 per cent of men who suffer from prostate conditions in Ghana die due to ignorance, late reporting, or complete avoidance of treatment."This is not just a health campaign," he said. "It is a movement that seeks to bring hope, awareness, and action to an issue that has lingered for far too long in silence."Mr Kudonoo explained that the initia­tives under the campaign would be opened to men, women, and children, offering free screening services."We believe that by taking these steps, many of the challenges we face in the fight against cancer can be significantly reduced, if not eliminated," he stated.He emphasised the need for urgent nation­al action, stating that many men died at the peak of their knowledge and experience-an irreplaceable loss to families and the nation. BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG