Saltpond (C/R), Aug. 6, GNA - Eighty community-based surveillance volunteers have been trained in the management and control of tuberculosis (T/B) at Saltpond in the Mfantseman District. The volunteers were also empowered to act as treatment supporters of the new treatment regime of the disease at a two-day workshop organised by Saltpond and Abeadze Dominase branches of the Ghana Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis and other lung diseases. The National TB Control Programme and the Global Fund provided money for the workshop with support of the Central Regional and the District TB Units of the Ghana Health Service.
Dr. N.A. de Heer, National President of the Society, called on Ghanaians to support the fight against TB a national exercise, saying, "TB anywhere is TB everywhere".
He commended Nana Ataapim Kweenu, Mankrado of the Nkusukum Traditional Area and President of the Saltpond branch and Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, Omanhene of the Abeadze Traditional Area and President of the Dominase branch of the Society for their efforts to sensitise the people on the disease.
Mr. Samuel Sosi, Mfantseman District Director of the Ghana Health Service, said statistics indicated that 2,797 TB cases were recorded in the Region from 2003 to 2005, out of which 333 were reported from the District.
He expressed satisfaction that the defaulter rate in the District had dropped from 61 or 52.6 per cent in 2004 to 23 or 19.3 per cent in 2005 and appealed to all TB patients to report for treatment, saying, "it is a crime to consciously keep oneself away from treatment". Mr Francis Zuradam Saareson, District Disease Control Officer, explained the Direct Observation Treatment (DOTS) of the disease to the participants.
The Assistant District Disease Control Officer, Miss Helena Tabiri, cautioned the volunteers against holding themselves up as qualified medical personnel and not to act beyond their capability. 6 Aug 07
