NGO to assist TB patients to receive medical attention

Gomoa Dominase (C/R), April 18, GNA - Allies in Development Partners, a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Tuberculosis Control Unit of the Ghana Health Service is to train co-ordinators to assist suspected TB patients to receive medical attention.

Mr Emmanuel Amokwandoh, Executive Director of the NGO, told Ghana News Agency in an interview at Gomoa Dominase that he had realised in his association with people living with HIV/AIDS that TB and HIV/AIDS were bedfellows and needed to be treated together.

Allies in Development Partners offers care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS and AIDS orphans.

Mr Amokwandoh noted that early treatment of TB could give some relief to a person who was also living with HIV/AIDS. He advised leaders of prayer camps to send suspected cases to hospital for diagnosis and treatment, saying, "Let us combine prayers with medical treatment."

The Executive Director commended Catholic Relief Services for providing food items to the organisation for distribution to people living with the diseases, saying the food supply was attracting people with the disease to come out.

Mr Amokwandoh said the lack of means of transport for the NGO was affecting the smooth distribution of food and drugs to the patients. "Treatment of HIV/AIDS should be continuous, any break in reaching the people with drugs affect their health he said and appealed for support to acquire vehicles.