05-06-2010 Narration: The Upper East Region has joined the rest of the world in celebrating this year’s World Tuberculosis Day at Paga in the Kassena-Nankana West District on the theme: “On the Move Against Tuberculosis: Innovate to Accelerate Action. The day which was organized by the Upper East Regional Directorate forms part of measures aimed at accelerating Tuberculosis management and control activities. Participants including chiefs, government officials, heads of decentralized departments and other health partners, took part in the celebration. Isaac Asare and Priscilla Kuguriye witnessed the event and have filed this report for Radio Ghana.
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An estimated 2 billion people worldwide equal to one third of the world’s population are believed to be affected with Tuberculosis caused by a germ called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. TB discovered in 1882, affects most part of the body particularly, the lungs and still remains the most infectious form of diseases spread from one person to the other. Available statistics indicates that TB kills 1.8 million people worldwide with 9.4 million cases reported each year, making it one of the deadliest diseases ever discovered. The annual event declared by the international community is geared at raising awareness and to re-orientate the public on the on-going fight against Tuberculosis. This year’s celebration was marked with various activities including a route march through the principal streets of Paga by pupils, students as well as members of the Red Cross Society. Some were holding placards with the inscription “TB and HIV are bed fellows, TB is not a curse, TB is preventable and curable and lets join the fight against TB”. The Upper East Regional Director of Health Services , Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams in a speech said TB remains one of the priority diseases that have received much attention by the health sector particularly, the Upper East Region where an average of 500 new cases are reported each year at the various health facilities. He indicated that the region despite its health challenges, has started making gains from efforts put into TB control programmes, emphasizing that, TB cases as at the endd of the first quarter of the year, has increased by 30 percent compared to 18 percent in the same period last year. Treatment success rate, he said, has hit an appreciable record of 85.3 percent compared to 77.0 percent recorded two years ago. Also 85 .3 percent of all patients were successfully treated in the region. Dr Awoonor-Williams, however attributed the success story to efforts put up by health care providers, treatment supporters and other relevant stakeholders in the health sector. He noted that the vision of his outfit is to ensure a zero tolerance to deaths in the district and the region as a result of TB and called on all to assist in that direction. the Upper East Regional Minster, Mr. Mark Woyongo on his part entreated the general public to ensure good sanitary practices since government is committed to ensuring that adequate and effective drugs and logistics are provided free of charge in treating TB patients apart from the preventive and promotional interventions such as vaccination against the disease. Mr. Woyongo advised the people to report any possible sign of TB to the nearest health facility for treatment. He also called for hard work and attitudinal change with commitment to accelerate actions to stop TB in Ghana.
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