Stories from Sebastian R. Freiku
A total of 101 cases of tuberculosis (TB) was recorded in the Offinso Municipality in 2012, over and above the previous year’s figure of 75, Mrs. Beatrice Appah, Municipal Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has announced.
She was speaking at this year’s World TB Day celebration at Offinso under the theme “Stop tuberculosis in my lifetime.”
The event was organised by the Ghana Health Service, in collaboration with the Better Ghana Health Promoters Limited.
Mrs. Appah said it had become urgent to step up the fight to stop its spread, and stressed the importance to assist those infected by the disease report early to the health facilities.
The Health Director pointed out that the disease was curable, and that the drugs were available to enhance free treatment.
Mrs. Appah spoke against the stigmatisation of patients, which, she said, was forcing many of them to go underground, and indicated that the situation was not beneficial and did not help in the fight against the disease and infection.
Baffour Kese-Amankwaa, Municipal Chief Executive, advised the people to ensure they sleep in well ventilated rooms to reduce the spread of the disease.