270 people have Tuberculosis in UWR

Wa, March 23, GNA - Two hundred and seventy cases of Tuberculosis were recorded in the Upper West Region in 2010 of which 152 persons' sputum contained the germ, Dr. Kofi Issa, Deputy Upper West Regional Director of Health Service, has said.

The region's Health officials had originally projected an infected population of 1,372 within the period.

Dr. Kofi Issa, Deputy Upper West Regional Director of Health Service, made this known at a meeting in Wa to brief the media and other stakeholders on Tuberculosis Control and its challenges in the region on Wednesday.

He said case detection rate stood at 20 percent while successful treatment rate also stood at 76 per cent. Dr. Issa said 145 persons sputum was found to have the germ in 2009 but it suddenly rose up to 152 in 2010, recording an increase of nine cases.

Wa Municipal recorded 48 cases in 2009 but the figure decreased by two cases in 2010 while Lawra District registered 34 cases in 2009 but experienced a sharp increase of 45 cases in 2010.

Fourteen (14) cases of the disease were confirmed in Jirapa District last year as against 18 cases in 2009. Nadowli District experienced 22 cases in 2009 with a decrease of two cases in 2010. Eight (8) cases were recorded in Wa West District for 2010, which experienced 10 cases in 2009. Sissala East District registering six (6) cases in 2009 but the figure declined to four (4) cases last year. Wa East District registered five (5) cases in 2009 and four (4) cases in 2010 while Sissala West experienced one (1) case in 2009 but the number rose up to five (5) cases last year.

Lambussie District confirmed six (6) cases 2010 as against one (1) case in 2009.

Dr. Issa attributed the increase number of Tuberculosis cases to the discovery of gold in some districts in the region, which attracted old miners from the south who were carriers. Poor nutrition among the people and the emergence of HIV and AIDS were also some contributory factors for the increase in Tuberculosis cases in the region.

Dr. Issa said the health directorate has embarked on outreach programmes with Tuberculosis diagnoses equipment. This has accounted for the high numbers of Tuberculosis cases recorded in the region while sensitisation programmes were also ongoing to get the people avail themselves of health facilities for early detection of the germ.

He said local people attach too much stigma to Tuberculosis and that was preventing many people sufferers shun health facilities for treatment.

On Cerebrum Spinal Meningitis (CSM), Dr. Issa said real measures had been put in place to deal with its emergence and that cholera, polio and all other communicable diseases are being given due attention.

Dr. Issa therefore called on the media to collaborate with the health directorate and come out with programmes on radio to encourage people suffering from the disease to avail themselves of health facilities for free treatment

He said Tuberculosis was curable and its treatment was also free and people should not see poverty as a barrier to treatment.