World TB Day observed

Kofiasua (B/A), April 22, GNA - This year's World Tuberculosis Day was observed at Kofiasua in Dormaa municipality with a call on TB patients and non-sufferers to work together towards the eradication of the disease.

Mr. Atta Amponsah, Municipal Chief Executive, appealed to health workers and opinion leaders to help break the myth surrounding the disease and dislodge the stigma on victims. He expressed regret that many Ghanaians still adduced superstition to the spread of some communicable diseases including tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, thereby discouraging victims from seeking timely orthodox treatment.

"Superstition does not only result in unnecessary delays and complications for TB patients but also thwarts attempts by government to make the country TB-free", he said. Mr. Amponsah said the government's decision to declare the treatment of TB free of charge was aimed at encouraging victims to seek early treatment.

He said with the availability of the "Directly Observed Treatment" at hospitals across the country, there was no justification for any victim to harbour the symptoms and become an agent of spread. The Municipal Director of Health Services, Ms. Florence Iddrisah, said records placed three-quarters of all Ghanaians on the list of TB sufferers of various degrees "but unfortunately victims are not making enough efforts to shake the disease off".

She said even though scientists had worked tirelessly to devise a cure for the disease those who were diagnosed and put on treatment seldom completed the course.

Ms. Iddrisah said when victims felt a little better, they abandoned the drugs and that paved way for the tuberculosis bacilli to build resistance to treatment.

She said the current treatment for TB was so comprehensively arranged that even those who could not afford their transportation cost to their treatment centers were given financial assistance to ensure non-derailment of treatment.

Mr Iddrisah appealed to families to take advantage of the numerous treatment facilities dotted across the country to have their TB-infested relatives treated.