As the World marks Tuberculosis Day on Saturday, health authorities say efforts to eradicate the disease are being hampered by negative attitude and lifestyle.
Two hundred and 19, including 26 children have since the beginning of this year reported with the infection at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital alone.
Infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, are the highest cause of death worldwide.
Health experts say the air-borne disease is commonly spread through infected unprotected cough, sneeze and discharge of saliva.
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria, and headaches, fever, stiffness as well as weakness and pain in the joints are some of the symptoms.
The theme for this year’s World Tuberculosis Day is ‘Stop TB in my Lifetime’. Proponents believe it is possible to stop TB.
In Ghana health officials say though curable, fighting tuberculosis remains a difficult task because poor life style and habits encourage its spread.
Treatment, for instance, is free, but patients mostly report late with the disease at health facilities with resultant complication or even death.
Adults are known to transmit the disease more to children who constitute about 20 per cent of infected persons in Ghana.
This is so because children have low immune system compared to adults.
Paediatrician in Charge of the Tuberculosis Clinic at Komfo Anokye Hospital, Dr. Anthony Enimil, is worried innocent children continue to suffer unduly for their parents recklessness.
“We have an attitude which is so bad. You sit in public transport somebody spits out of the bus if this person has TB, anybody who inhales organism in the sprothum, the person has the potential of getting TB, so attitudinal change is very important”, he said.
Though intensive treatment which lasts 6 months minimum is free, one of the biggest challenges facing the fight against Tuberculosis in Ghana has been delayed report of cases in health centers, a situation which often results in deaths and complications among patients.
Dr. Enimil alludes to an endowment fund for treatment of the disease, and wants Ghanaians, especially, the poor to take advantage of it.
“People who have TB if they don’t report early, before they realised it is TB, they would have spread it to other people. Because it is curable and the drugs are for free, that is why we are calling for early reporting to the nearest health center most of which have been equipped with ability to treat TB”.