About a third of the world’s population; 2 billion people carry TB bacteria, but most never develop the active disease. However, every year 8-10 million people catch the disease and 2 million die from it.
In the Bawku Municipality alone last year 2007, over one hundred new TB cases were detected and put on treatment.
The Bawku Municipal Director of Health Services Dr. Mensah Afful said this during the launching of Anti TB /HIV/AIDS campaign at Pusiga in the Bawku Municipality.
Dr. Mensah Afful said about 10% of people infected with TB actually develop the disease in their lifetimes, but this preparation is changing as HIV severely weakens the human immune system and makes people much more vulnerable.
“Tuberculosis, or TB is an infectious bacterial disease cause by mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lumps and its spread from an infectious person who is coughing to another person through “the air” he explained.
Dr. Afful said TB is treatable and is free with a six month course of antibiotics. He dispelled false beliefs that you can become infected by TB by touching someone who has it or being with an infected person for a few minutes rather it is transmitted only by prolonged close contact with coughing infectious patients. Also, TB patients who have taken their treatment for 2 weeks and are still taking are usually not infectious, he emphasized.
He advised anybody who coughs for 2 week should seek treatment from a health facility and don’t sit and die from a disease which is treatable and free at all government hospitals.
The Executive Director of the Rural – Urban Women and Children Development Agency (RUWACDA) Mr. Braimah Abdulai said the NGO which has been in existence barely 3 year is committed to providing social services in its focal communities by facilitating empowerment of women and the youth through reproductive health, education, providing economic empowerment through integrated approach by the provision of vocational training, promotion of sanitation and environmental sustainability.
He said the purpose of the launch is to disseminate Information Education and Communication and promote Behavioral Change Communication on the devastating diseases TB/HIV/AIDS that claim millions of lives every year and also to advocate for peace.
“This year RUWACDA in partnership with the National TB control program and Ghana Aids commission through the support of the Global fund is undertaking a behavioral change communication and information Education on TB/HIV/AIDS in the Bawku Municipality. In May 2007 RUWACDA was one of the few selected NGO’s by MOH, MOFA to provide public education intervention on avian influenza (Bird Fly)”he emphasized.
Mr. Braimah Abdulai impressed upon philanthropists, institutions, donor agencies, government and all actors to support RUWACDA.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Abduai Abanga in a speech read on his behalf said the issue of TB/HIV/AIDS in the development of our society cannot be over emphasized and these two killer diseases are more than brothers who attack to kill.
“Fortunately TB is curable and its treatment is free but HIV/AIDS is not, however when HIV/AIDS patients receive anti-retroviral treatment their life’s can be prolonged. He therefore encouraged all who are suffering from these killer diseases to avail themselves at Health facilities for treatment” he said.
Hon. Abanga appealed to the people to rise up and fight the evils of poverty, hunger and disease rather than fighting amongst themselves.
“In these modern times when everybody’s attitude is changing from primitive thinking to progressive thinking, here we are still stacked in the cave of violence and conflicts of destruction” he lamented.
The chief of Pusiga Naba Ayumah Tambisballem thanked RUWACDA and believes the programme would bring life to an infected person who out of ignorance may be dying in silent.
Naba Ayuma Tambisballem prayed for lasting peace so that their programs and towns would not be guided by security men and women.
A day earlier, RUWACDA organized a workshop for its treatment support volunteers aimed at equipping the volunteers with the knowledge of TB and how to assist TB patients. And on the day of the launch, there was a procession through the principal streets of Pusiga Township, the processors carried placards some of which bored the inscription; stop aids love life, HIV/AIDS can kill, TB can be cured, and TB treatment is free.
JAMES DORGBETOR
MUNICIPAL INFORMATION OFFICER
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