Over 30,000 people in Ghana get infected with T.B. annually

Mampong (Ash), July 10, GNA - Madam Rebecca Dokurugu, Acting Municipal Directorate of Health Services at Asante-Mampong, has said over 30,000 people get infected with tuberculosis (TB) annually in Ghana with about 15,000 dying.

She was speaking at a day's workshop on TB for some Health workers in the Sekyere West District held in Asante-Mampong. The workshop was aimed among other issues at introducing new staff to TB programme in the municipality, strengthen their skills in TB data collection, report writing and strengthen TB base management. She said majority of people have already come into contact with the disease unknowingly at public places, adding that those at higher risk of getting the disease include people with poor diets, alcoholics, excessive smokers and people infected with HIV/AIDS virus. She said health facilities are adopting the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) as well as vaccination of Infants at birth with the BCG vaccines to combat this disease.

Mr. Michael Owusu Kwakye, T.B. Coordinator in the Municipality, said the disease has a higher death rate due to stigmatization, late diagnosis, poverty, ignorance and attitude of some health staff towards the patients. 10 July 09