The Kadjebi Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with Zipline, has marked the 2023 World Tuberculosis Day with Asato residents and schoolchildren under the theme: “Yes! We can end TB.”

Date Created : 3/24/2023 : Story Author : Daniel Agbesi Latsu/Ghanadistricts.com

Speaking at the programme at Asato in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, Dir. Eric Nana Takyi, Kadjebi District Director of Health Service, said the directorate decided to hold the programme at Asato because in 2022, Asato and Avornyo Kofe communities recorded most Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the Kadjebi District.

He said of 102 expected to be detected in 2022, only 43 cases were detected, representing a 42.1 per cent case detection rate with five deaths.

Nana Takyi further stressed that Kadjebi-Asato sub-district alone accounted for 23 per cent, 10 cases out of the 43 cases with 2 deaths and as such there was the need to launch the World TB Day in the Asato community to create more awareness towards case detection, management, and prevention.

He advised the gathering to undergo regular screening at the various health facilities to ensure early detection and management.

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Mr. Michael Kwaku Nukpui, Community Lead, Zipline, Krachi said, as part of Zipline community integration drive, Zipline usually partners and supports districts to mark public Health events to raise awareness in various communities.

He said, “as we mark World TB Day today, it is important we partner with the Health Directorate of Kadjebi to mark the day as TB cases in the district are on a rise”.

Mr. Nukpui said Zipline played an important role in the fight against TB and had since supported the distribution of TB drugs and supplies to and from various health facilities. He said to date Zipline has distributed over 15,000 units of TB drugs such as ethambutol, pyrazinamide, isoniazid, rifampicin, and combination medications.

The Community Lead said, “Zipline is committed to supporting Ghana Health Service to make medical products accessible to everyone on earth”.

Mr. John Duako Sonnyinado Baffoe, District Disease Surveillance Officer said, TB is an airborne infectious disease that usually affects the lungs and other parts of the body.

He said the bacteria spread through droplets in the air, the infected TB cases cough or sneeze and release thousands of the bacteria into the air and sadly, susceptible people inhale it.

Mr. Sonnyinado said currently, Antibiotic Resistance TB is a major public health concern globally thus, some strains of the disease are not responding to the most effective treatment options. “In this case, TB is most infectious when it affects the lungs,” he said.

On signs and symptoms of TB; he mentioned coughing, easily getting tired, night sweats, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fatigue, fever, chills, and loss of appetite and weight loss.

The District Disease Surveillance Officer said people with weakened immune systems, HIV patients, aged, young children, pregnant women, quarry workers, Diabetes patients and Hypertension patients are at risk of contracting the disease.

Mr. Sonnyinado said early detection and appropriate TB treatment, BCG Vaccination, staying away from infected people until they no longer transmit the infection or after two weeks of effective treatment, wearing of nose mask, covering the mouth and nose when coughing (practicing appropriate air etiquette), Ventilating rooms and housing, stopping stigmatization would help end the disease.

March 24 every year is observed as World Tuberculosis Day.