Adults TB Prevalence Twice WHO Value -NTP

The Programme Manager of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) Dr Frank Bonsu Monday said Ghana�s TB prevalence for adults as at 2013 was 300 per 100,000 population, more than twice the estimated WHO value for all ages. He explained that the highest TB prevalence occurred in the age group 65-74, whilst the least prevalence occurred in the age group 25-34. In 2013, 15, 533 cases were recorded as compared to 15,187 cases in 2012, adding that, there was a difference of 346 cases between 2012 and 2013�. Speaking at the 2014 World TB day in Accra, on the theme, �Reaching the missed TB cases: the Untold Story of the Ghanaian TB patient,� Dr Bonsu said the Ashanti region recorded the highest number of TB cases of 3, 041, followed by Greater Accra 2,901. Volta and Western regions recorded 1,758 each with Brong Ahafo recording 1,227, Eastern region-1,677, Upper East-1,511, upper West-330 and Northern region, 642 cases. He noted that though the disease burden was high the trend shows that the TB epidemic can be halted and reversed. He said Ghana was on its way to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by halting and reversing the trend and incidence of TB by 2015, �If we continue to sustain our education to detect all TB cases�. The NTP Programme manager said despite the high cases being recorded, Ghana could boast of TB treatment success above the global target of 86 percent adding that, �Seven out of 10 regions achieved their treatment success targets�. Outlining some successes chalked by the TB Programme, Dr Bonsu mentioned support system for patients and affected families to achieve cure, enough TB medicines, diagnostics and reagents, new technologies to help detect some of the cases that are normally missed, using older technologies and a new system for managing childhood TB. Other successful areas are the use of digital x-ray imagery, infrastructure to diagnose and manage multi drug resistance. Dr Bonsu said TB should be placed high on the National Agenda of the country and urged stakeholders to be committed to stopping the disease. �We need to increase public awareness that TB is of significant public health importance, empower the affected community to control TB and its related disease, combat stigma and discrimination and mobilize resources to fight the disease� he added. Dr Emmanuel Appiah-Denkyira, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said the Service was mindful of the new emerging threat of multi-drug resistant of TB and called for more commitment from families of infected persons and staff of the GHS to ensure more follow-ups of cases. He reiterated the need to have an infectious disease centre that will handle infectious diseases such as TB, Ebola and others and also protect patients as well as health staff. The TB National Ambassador, Bice Osei Kufuor, popularly known as Obour, entertained the gathering with special TB songs he had composed and a sketch to educate the public on the need to report to the hospital if coughing persists and that TB treatment was free. Mr Michael Akutey, a cured TB patient shared his experience, saying that, his family wasted money on fetish priests, prayer camps and all sorts of cough mixtures looking for a cure, until a friend advised him to visit the hospital. �In fact, the test proved that I had TB and was put on six months medication. I did not pay anything because the treatment was free and even enjoyed the �packages� which included special �Tom Brown,� a local cereal, to improve my nutritional needs�. He entreated the public to report to the nearest health facility whenever they cough for more than two weeks for early detection and free treatment�. World Tuberculosis Day is a worldwide event that aims to raise public awareness of tuberculosis and the efforts made to prevent and treat this disease. This event is held on March 24 each year and is promoted by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). It is annually held on March 24, to mark the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch detected the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. This was a first step towards diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. World Tuberculosis Day can be traced back to 1982, when the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease launched World TB Day on March 24, that year, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Dr Koch�s discovery. Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person via droplets from the throat and lungs of people with the disease. WHO estimates that the largest number of new TB cases in 2005 occurred in south-east Asia, which accounted for 34 per cent of incident cases globally. However, the estimated incidence rate in sub-Saharan Africa is nearly twice that of south-east Asia.