By Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, March 27, GNA – The Greater Accra Regional Hospital has marked this year’s World Tuberculosis Day with a call on the public to observe good hygiene practices.
The event was held in collaboration with the Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly, and the Municipal Tuberculosis Control Programme on the theme: “Yes We Can End TB In Ghana”.
The day highlights the sufferings that the disease continues to bring on people though effective measures and control are available worldwide.
Mr Kwame Nimako-Antwi, Medical Officer, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, said although the disease was curable, it had remained a global menace that troubled millions of people each year and stressed on personal and environmental cleanliness.
“As I said earlier, because it’s air-borne, and very endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, the risk of getting it is high,” he said.
He underscored the need for more screening and contact tracing so that those identified could be treated and cured, adding that treatment was available and free.
Mr Nimako-Antwi said TB could affect any person but records indicated that male adults and children between ages 10 to 12 were more vulnerable.
Madam Abena Ampofo, TB Coordinator at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, stressed that everything about TB was free, saying, early treatment saved life and must be taken seriously.
She entreated the public to seek early treatment to reduce the number of cases.
Mr Fakebe Daniel, the Korley Klottey Municipal TB Coordinator, noted that over the years, there had been a lot of cases coming from the Odawna Shopping Mall community and called for more sensitisation there.
GNA