Madam Jane Amerley Oku, Executive Director of Janok Foundation, a community-based organization, has said there is the need for commercial drivers to spearhead the fight against Tuberculosis (TB).
She said since TB had the potential to spread in society, especially among commuters in vehicles, it was important for drivers to take up the challenge of fighting the disease.
Madam Oku said this during a sensitizing programme for the North Darkuman Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) drivers during their end of the year meeting at Darkuman.
She said everyone is at risk of getting the TB infection if they are exposed to an affected individual, adding that; “it must be emphasized that majority of us have already come into contact one way or the other either in the market place, trotro, church and in a mosque.”
She said certain people are more risk of getting TB and that they are those who do not eat nutritious food to have strong body to fight the germs whilst alcoholics and excessive smokers are equally vulnerable.
Others are those who sleep in overcrowded and poorly ventilated rooms with affected persons, those that work in the mines and dusty environment, and those who were affected with the AIDS virus.
Madam Oku expressed worry about the stigmatization and discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS, adding that “this erodes their confidence and made them shy away from seeking treatment at health centres.”
She said though there is a massive education campaign by the Ghana AIDS Commission to sensitise people on the need to halt such attitudes, said her NGO would continue to focus on the eradication of discrimination and reduction in deaths among HIV people.
She appealed to all citizens to put an end to stigmatization and contribute towards the government’s efforts at ensuring that the disease would be reduced to the barest minimum.
Mr Thomas Armah, Vice Chairman of the North Darkuman GPRTU, called on drivers to take the programme seriously saying “sensitization on HIV and AIDS and TB among commercial drives to help reduce risks has often been overlooked.”
He expressed concern about the lack of information flow on health issues which he said was one of the challenges faced by drivers with regards to HIV/AIDS and TB.
Mr Armah commended Janok Foundation, an organization based at at Sabon Zongo in Accra, for creating the enabling environment to bring the programme to the door steps of the drivers.
