TB has nothing spiritual – Dr Doh
Dr Felix Doh, Director, Hohoe Municipal Health Directorate has said Tuberculosis (TB) disease has nothing spiritual but purely an issue of medical concern that demanded such interventions to surmount the disease incidence.
He said TB as an infectious disease is caused by micro-organisms known as Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, that affects all parts of the body but most people suffer lung TB, which is spread from person-to-person.
Dr Doh made the assertion at a one-day capacity building/training of volunteers, traditional leaders, sub-chiefs and Queens on TB/HIV and AIDS advocacy, communication, and social mobilisation skills to facilitate the eradication of the disease.
It was organised by TG Royal House Foundation (TG-ROHF) and Healthwell Civil Society Organisation, all Hohoe-based NGO through a project dubbed “Strengthening TB Response through Traditional Leaders” is being undertaken in collaboration with the National TB Control Programme and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
It was financed by the Global Fund for HIV/Malaria/TB.
He said TB is therefore not any affliction through spiritual means and could not be treated by traditional or other non-medical interventions as empirical data on this is non-existent.
Dr Doh indicated that no empirical evidence has been adduced from research institutions in the country attesting to the efficacy of any traditional medicine in the cure or treatment of TB but however said research should be stepped up in this area.
He said TB germ, which is airborne is spread through coughing, sneezing, indiscriminate spitting with symptoms manifesting as blood in cough, appetite and weight lose, sweating at night, chest pains and protracted tiredness.
The Health Director said the Directorate should be recording about 370 TB cases by its current population of 180,000, as nationally 52,000 people are affected with the disease yearly, with half the figure dying through improper treatment regimes.
Dr Doh said TB is curable as HIV/AIDS is preventable entreating patients to avoid self-medication, visit the hospital early to guarantee life and spread of the disease.
Ms Elizabeth Bonsu, in-charge of the Hohoe Chest Clinic said the facility recorded 56 new cases between January-June, this year, while 126 cases of TB was recorded against 2012.
She said case detection is low and efforts are underway to create more awareness of the disease stating that about 126 volunteers are assisting the Hohoe Municipal Directorate of GHS to identify cases in the communities.
Ms Bonsu indicated treatment regime has been modernised with efficacious drug-lines for free, a complete departure from regimes that made the disease fearsome adding that “adherence to treatment regime is key to eradicating the disease.”
Mr Daniel Afun, Disease Control Officer of Kadjebi explained that TB could not be spread in air-conditioned commercial vehicles and rooms because of high humidity, which disbands the germ to drop faster than suspend in the air.
In the same vein, he said use of same glass could not be conduit for transmission of TB germ adding it is unhygienic though.
Togbega Gabusu, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area, doubling as the Executive Director of TG-ROHF said rising perception of stigma for TB and HIV and AIDS patients motivated him to champion this project to provide a “shoulder for such people to lean on.”
He said stigma is cowing TB and HIV/AIDS patients into isolation and early death saying “Time has come for all, especially traditional leaders to lead the crusade towards curtailing stigmatization and stereotype believes.”
Togbega Gabusu is optimistic his objective of the control of the disease including reduction in mortality and morbidity due to TB and stem reduction in the transmission of infection until it no longer poses a threat to public health.
Source: GNA