Obuasi East District Marks World Tuberculosis Day At Ahansonyewodea

The Obuasi East District in collaboration with the Obuasi East Health Directorate has organised a free screening and sensitization in tuberculosis and other related diseases at Ahansonyewodea to mark the 2023 edition of World Tuberculosis Day.

World TB Day is commemorated every 24th March to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Yes! We Can End TB”
At a short ceremony witnessed by officials from the Assembly including the District Chief Executive Hon Faustina Amissah, Nananom and Health official, the District Health Director Delphine Gborgblovor emphasized that the Directorate has rolled out a month long sensitization programs on the available media in the district on the causes of tuberculosis and the need to seek early treatment.

She also intimated that the medical facilities in the district have also declared a week long mass screening campaign intended to have more people tested for tuberculosis whiles those who have the disease are given early treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), TB it is one of the top 10 causes of death and in Ghana, and it is estimated that about 30 people lose their lives each day from TB and 125 people fall ill daily.

Globally, it is estimated that each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to it globally and close to 30,000 fall ill with TB disease.

The District Health Director alluded that HIV and Tuberculosis have something similar hence the reason for conducting HIV and Tuberculosis screening on the day. She said ” HIV and Tuberculosis has some form of relationship. People with HIV have weakened immune system hence have an increasing risk of contracting tuberculosis”.

Ms Gborgblovor encouraged the use of nose masks as a way to stop the spread of tuberculosis especially among those who already have the disease. She again advised them to seek early treatment since treatment for tuberculosis is free.

On stigmatisation, she cautioned the general public to guard against all forms of discrimination and stigmatisation targeted at people with tuberculosis. She said it was important to encourage people with the disease to seek for early treatment other than avoiding them. She added that with proper treatment, tuberculosis can be treated within 6 months.

On her part the Chief Executive for the Obuasi East District alluded that health is wealth hence there was the need for the people within the district to pay attention to their health. She said the Assembly collaborated with the Health Directorate to conduct free screening and treatment for TB judging from the enormity of the disease.

She again added her voice to the concern for people not to stigmatize those with the disease. She said issues of stigmatisation has been a hindrance to the fight against tuberculosis hence appealed to people to avoid that but continue to encourage those with tuberculosis to seek proper medical care which she said was free.