Suhum (E/R), March 27, GNA - Mr Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister has called on sellers of Akpeteshie and other alcoholic beverages to clean their glasses and calabashes well to help reduce the spread of tuberculosis (TB). He explained that the poor manner in which glasses used to serve Akpeteshie were washed could be one of the sources of spreading the TB. Mr Asamoah made last Wednesday when the Eastern Regional observed World TB day at Suhum in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District. He said the burden imposed by a disease, be it tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS or malaria is linked to the total development of the country hence "a high disease burden would result in underdevelopment of the country."

Mr Asamoah said it was therefore, important that effort be put in place, to reduce the disease burden in the country, to create a healthy nation with long life expectancy so as to ensure a vibrant human resource base ready to accelerate growth and development. Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyirah, the Eastern Regional Director of Health Services said the region recorded 1,670 TB cases last year with an improvement in cure rate of 71 per cent. He said one area of prevention against TB infection was the protection against dust and particles that were likely to destroy the lungs.

According to him it was important to tar all major roads that link through towns, miners, cotton farmers and asbestos industries workers to use appropriate face masks to prevent the spread of the disease. Earlier in a welcoming address, the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Director of Health Services, Dr Peter Atobre-Boateng announced that TB cases in the district rose from 60 in 2004 to 83 in 2007. He said within the same period, however, the district recorded an improvement in its cure rate from 49 per cent to 87 per cent. Dr Atobre-Boateng called on all-and-sundry to join in the efforts to prevent the spread of TB in the country.