TB kills four people in Sunyani West

Tuberculosis (TB) killed four people in the Sunyani West District in 2014, Mr Kwaku Okyere, the Sunyani West District TB Coordinator, has said.

He explained the deaths occurred as a result of malnutrition, while other patients also delayed in seeking medication.

Mr Okyere made this known at the 2014 Annual Performance Review Meeting of the Sunyani West District Directorate of Health at Fiapre, near Sunyani, at the weekend.

He emphasized that TB detection rate in the district had improved but the treatment rate was not encouraging at all.

Mr Okyere the said the district detected 47 cases of TB in 2014 as compared to 27 in 2013, and 16 in 2012, explaining that three of the patients died in 2013.

He said 14 patients, out the cases recorded last year, were HIV positive.

The TB Coordinator expressed concern about the high level of stigmatization and discrimination against TB patients in the district, which according to him, was a major obstacle affecting detection rate and control.

Mr Okyere said because of the societal stigma and myths surrounding the treatable disease, patients always felt shy to go for regular medication.

He appealed to traditional rulers to lead and support in the intensification of TB education and advised the public to support patients to seek medication.