By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Dec. 4, GNA – Mr. Razack Sarkodie, the Greater Accra Regional Tuberculosis (TB) Focal Person for the Ghana Health Service, has urged health institutions within the Tema Metropolis to put in measures to bridge the gap in TB screening in the area.
Mr. Sarkodie, speaking at an HIV/TB review meeting, said that even though the data from the metro for case detection was accurate and on point, the gap existing between the actual screening and what was expected was too huge and therefore needed to be bridged.
He explained that it was expected that at least 10 percent of all Outpatients Department (OPD) attendants should be screened for TB when reporting coughing.
He said even though the metro had seen a total of 243,242 OPD attendance by the end of October 2023, the number screened for TB stood at 7,336 instead of 24,324, which represents 10 percent.
He said screening OPD patients helps pick up TB cases early for treatment to curtail its spread, saying, “When you screen every 10 people, one is expected to have TB.”
Mr. Sarkodie also reminded the health officials that it was mandatory to test every HIV patient for TB and vice versa, as the two often move together.
Ms. Joanna Anorkor Lartey, the Tema Metro HIV/TB Coordinator, speaking on stigma, said TB and HIV were just like malaria, and no one knew how they would be affected, therefore the need to stop stigmatising those infected.
Ms. Lartey reminded the health providers that stigmatising persons with HIV, for instance, pregnant women, from attending antenatal care discourages the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and leads to a high number of defaulters, which in turn serves as a catalyst for the spread of the disease.
She said the review meeting was therefore one of the ways to assess the activities health facilities had put in place to address such issues, adding that interventions and innovations to get the medications to the patients should be encouraged.
Mrs. Monica Owusu Afoakwah, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Tema Metro Health Directorate, opening the meeting, said the review was to facilitate knowledge sharing on best practices to enhance the quality of care provided to clients.
Mrs. Afoakwah said it was also to discuss challenges and areas of improvement in HIV/TB management and offer the needed solutions, among others.
The meeting was attended by Madam Gifty Asante, the Greater Accra HIV Director, Ms. Gifty Birago, the Deputy Greater Accra Regional HIV Coordinator, and representatives from the Tema General Hospital, Manhean Polyclinic, Tema Health Centre, Narh-Bita Hospital, and Port Medical.
GNA