Stakeholders urged to harmonise efforts to eliminate TB

Dr Winfred Ofosu, Deputy Director of Health, in charge of Public Health, at the Volta Regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has called for the harmonization of efforts of stakeholders to help eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) in the country.

He said chiefs and leaders in all areas of human endeavour should help identify cases and encourage them to seek medical help.

Dr Ofosu was speaking at a durbar at Agbozume, in the Ketu-South District, on Thursday, to mark World TB Day in the Volta Region.

He said there was the need to tackle conditions that pre-disposed people to the debilitating disease, such as poor diet and stuffy rooms with too many people.

Dr Ofosu said the Volta Region was doing well in TB control, with cases dropping from 1,619 in 2009 to 1,390 in 2010.

He said the region was the second best in TB case notification in the country.

Dr Andrews Ayim, Ketu-South District Director of Health said there was 100 percent cure rate for the 315 cases reported in the district in 2010.

He reiterated that TB was curable and treatment is still free.

Mr Peter Amenu-Kpornyo, Ketu South Assembly District Coordinating Director (DCD) expressed regret at the poor attendance at the durbar by the local inhabitants.

He observed that the venue would have been brimming with people if it were a political party activity, counselling that health was a crucial issue that individuals must not toy with.

Togbe Addo V, Chief of Klikor, who presided over the durbar, condemned the habit of mothers chewing nuts and other hard foods before passing them over to their young children to eat.

Ketu-South and Kpando Districts and the Keta Municipality were honoured for being exceptional in various areas of TB prevention, while Madam Sitsofe Dzesu, a Laboratory Technician at the Ketu-South District Hospital was also given a fridge for her good laboratory work.

The three districts, besides the certificates of merit, had GHC 250 each.

Source: GNA