Kumasi, April 30, GNA - The Government of Ghana through the International Partners for Global Funding for Tuberculosis (TB), has constructed and rehabilitated 60 Direct Observed Treatment for Short (DOTS) centres in hospitals, clinics, private hospitals and maternity homes in the Ashanti Region at the cost of several millions of cedis. The centres are to serve as accommodation and treatment centres for TB patients.

Dr Agartha Akua Bonney, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator for TB, announced this at the inauguration of a 75 million-cedi DOTS centre at the Suntreso Hospital in the Kumasi metropolis on Friday. The inauguration of the centre also coincided with the launch of the TB awareness campaign by the Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Health Services. She revealed that with the establishment of the centres, especially in Kumasi, the TB defaulters rate, which was 49.4 per cent in the year 2003, has now dropped to two per cent this year. Dr Bonney said treatment of TB is free and therefore, appealed to infected TB patients to report to the nearest clinics and hospitals for treatment. Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the efforts of nurses, doctors and para-medical staff in providing quality health care to the people at all times. He praised the government for being partners of the International Global Funding for TB and hoped that the facility would greatly help in the treatment of TB in the region. The Regional Minister appealed to people to embrace the government's policy of the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to receive quality health care. Dr Joseph Oduro, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health Services, urged the public to support health personnel to sensitise people about the TB campaign to help reduce the reported cases of the disease