45 % Ghanaians ignorant of TB

As Ghana joins the world to celebrate World Tuberculosis Day, Program Coordinator for the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Frank Bonsu has disclosed that there are people in Ghana are who still ignorant about the existence of the disease.

Mr. Bonsu stated that Volta and Brong Ahafo regions make up about 45 percent of those ignorant of the disease.
World Tuberculosis Day, falls on March 24 each year, has been designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease.

Tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.7 plus million people each year, mostly in the third world countries according to World Health Organization (WHO) report for 2010.

It is against this background that the National TB Control Programme has chosen to celebrate the day at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region in order to intensify awareness of the disease.

Mr. Bonsu told Adom News that “Sunyani is far behind national percentage of TB cure of 82 percent so we are taking it there to intensify campaign and bring them at par with the rest of the country.”

On the other hand, Mr. Bonsu said they have not relented in their efforts to fight the disease. He stated that about 86 percent of cases reported are treated but 25 percent of the patients die of the disease because they do not report it.

He lauded government’s efforts in providing free medication and feeding over the past ten years, for the patients who report the disease at health.

He noted that government has also recruited trained health assistants who move into various villages and hinterlands to spread awareness of the disease and sometimes help in administration of medication.

Story: Maame Esi Nyamekye Thompson/Adom News