By Samira Larbie
Accra, March 24, GNA- Noguchi Memorial Institute, University of Ghana, has organised a medical community outreach programme with a call on Ghanaians, especially mothers not to treat prolonged cough in children as ordinary.
Dr Nii Adjei Abraham, the Deputy Head of the Chest Clinic, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said it was important that malaria and temperature in children were reported to the health facility early as it could be symptoms of tuberculosis (TB).
He said that was crucial as the massive improvement in TB detection over the period had led to more diagnoses of the disease in children.
The medical screening, which formed part of activities to commemorate World Tuberculosis Day, saw indigenes of chorkor in the Ablekuma South Constituency and its environs medically screened for TB, diabetes, malaria, and hypertension.
They were also given free insecticide mosquito nets, among others.
World TB Day, celebrated annually on March 24, is a day set aside to create awareness of the disease and to step up efforts to end the global epidemic.
The 2023 celebration, with the theme “Yes! We can end TB!”, aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increase investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs.
The bacteria that cause TB are spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms of TB include cough (sometimes blood-tinged or mucus), chest pain, pain with breathing or coughing, fever, chills, night sweats, and weight loss.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is one of the top 10 causes of death in Ghana, and it is estimated that about 30 people lose their lives each day from TB and 125 people fall ill daily.
In 2021, Ghana recorded an estimated 44,000 new cases, out of this, 13,332 were the actual cases on treatment, and 30,668 cases missing.
An estimated 4,400 children got infected with 645 on treatment and about 12,000 people died undiagnosed.
Dr Adjei said TB was curable and its symptoms could manifest in various forms and on any part of the body, hence the need for early detection and treatment was key.
He said TB treatment was free and that the only problem the country was faced with was the ability to diagnose early, adding that too many cases were being missed and called on the public to visit the hospital when they had unexplained symptoms.
Dr Adwoa Asante-Poku, a Senior Research Fellow, at Noguchi Memorial Institute at the University of Ghana, speaking at the event noted that TB remained a major Public health threat in Ghana and Globally.
She said they chose Chorkor because much of their research work was done there.
The team earlier educated pupils of the Evangelical Presbyterian Basic School in the Municipality on all they needed to know about tuberculosis to ensure prevention.
GNA