Cure rate of Tuberculosis improves in
Ghana
Accra, Oct. 25, Ghanadot/GNA - The activities of
Treatment Supporters of Tuberculosis (TB) has ensured a
reduction of defaulters to less than one per cent with
the cure rate improving to 84 per cent in the country.
Continuous supply of TB drugs has also contributed
tremendously to the control of the disease but with a
few recalcitrant patients refusing to take their drugs
frequently creating resistant strains.
Dr George Mensah, Accra Metropolitan Director of Health
said this at the opening of a two-day Training Workshop
for Treatment Supporters (volunteers) of the TB Voice
Network in Accra initiated by Afro Global Alliance.
He explained that whilst in 2003, the cure rate of TB
was 54 per cent, the figure in 2007 had improved to 84
per cent, very close to the World Health organisation's
rate of 85 per cent.
Dr Mensah lauded the tremendous assistance of the
Treatment Supporters to the creation of awareness and
prevention of the disease in the various communities and
therefore urged the support of both the public and
private sectors to ensure the total eradication of the
TB disease in the country.
He said the Volunteers have in diverse ways created an
enabling environment that had reduced the stigma
associated with the disease with many people ready to
take their drugs to ensure TB curtailment.
Dr Audrey Forson, Head of Chest Department, Korle Bu
Teaching Hospital said there had been positive
improvement in measures to control the TB disease with
the treatment period shortened from eight to six months
whilst the drugs for treatment has been combined to a
fixed drug combination to make it easier for users to
undergo its frequent usage.
She stressed the need for patients who started treatment
to be critically observed and assisted to ensure their
compliance with the directives to prevent TB bacteria
multiplying and attacking different parts of the body.
Dr Forson said the assistance of the volunteers was
critical in the fight against the effects of the disease
since there is a critical shortage of health personnel
in the health sector to help monitor patients' treatment
and drug usage.
Dr Forson said there is the need for a concerted effort
to embark on a cough hygiene to check coughing, sneezing
and spitting to stop TB from infecting and spreading
across the spectrum of the society.
Chief Austin Obiefuna, Director of Afro Global Alliance
on behalf of the Programme Manager of the National
Tuberculosis Control Programme, Dr Frank Bonsu said TB
is a devastating disease that requires the collective
support and involvement of all to help its eradication.
He regretted that the issue of the TB disease was
growing at an alarming rate with the advent of HIV,
especially among the less privileged of the society who
due to ignorance, poverty and stigmatisation refused to
seek early treatment.
"We don't want to live with TB, we want it to go and so
all should get involved in its eradication. TB is not a
death sentence". He added.
He said TB unlike HIV has a cure and so those with TB
should go for early treatment and seek counselling,
which is free at all health facilities.
Topics to be discussed include Directly Observed Therapy
(DOT) implementation, Overview of TB in Ghana, the role
of Treatment Supporters in the fight against TB,
Community sensitisation, case detection (referral),
defaulter tracing and treatment support.
GNA
