By Emmanuel Nyatsikor
Adaklu Have (V/R), Sept. 30, GNA – GOSANET Foundation, a health NGO operating in the Adaklu district commenced a free community-based tuberculosis (TB) case finding and screening programme in the district.
The initiative is aimed at identifying, screening, and supporting individuals who may be at risk of the disease.
Mr Samuel Yao Atidzah, Executive Director of the Foundation speaking at one of such programmes at Adaklu Have said the goal of the initiative was to enhance early detection of the disease and to ensure that the necessary medical care was provided in a timely manner.
He stated that TB was preventable and curable with a combination of antibiotics if detected early.
Mr Atidzah continued that until recently the standard course of drugs took six to nine months to complete and that treatment for drug-resistant TB took up to two years with much lower chances of cure.
He stated that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) one point three million people died of TB in 2022 and the disease was the second highest infectious killer disease after Covid 19.
The Executive Director said in 2022 an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB worldwide made up of 5.8 million men, 3.5 million women and 1.3 million children.
He intimated that diabetes, weakened immune system, malnourishment and tobacco smoking could increase a person’s risk of contracting the disease.
Mr Atidzah mentioned some symptoms of the disease as prolonged cough, chest pain, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
He noted that TB which was caused by a bacteria (mycobacterium tuberculosis) mostly affected adults in their productive years.
He said the disease affected the lungs and was spread from person to person through the air and that when infected people cough, sneeze, or spit they propel the TB germs into the air.
He appealed to the people to lead hygienic lifestyles, refrain from actions that would quicken the spread of the disease and avail themselves for the screening.
Mr Atidzah called on traditional authorities and Assembly Members to collaborate with the Foundation to enable it to achieve the purpose of the initiative.
GNA