Asikasu (B/A), July 30, GNA - This year's tuberculosis day in the Dormaa Municipality has been launched at Asikasu No.1 near Dormaa-Ahenkro with a call on families to encourage their relatives who cough beyond two weeks to seek early medical attention. Launching the day under the universal theme "I am stopping TB", the Municipal Director of Health services, Madam Florence Iddrisah, said the once-dreaded communicable disease is no longer being shrouded in misery with sufferers declared outcasts. She reminded the people of the municipality that treatment for TB is free of charge at all health facilities and urged them to take advantage of the policy that the disease was kicked out of society. Mr Jones Anim, a field technician at the Municipal Health Directorate, said TB patients are not automatic HIV/AIDS positive persons.

He said even though the TB bacteria thrived in persons with weak immune system, records have shown that several TB patients had recovered from the sickness without any traces of the HIV virus. The Chief of Asikasu, Nana Ampaabeng Kyeremeh, lauded the awareness programme and thanked the municipal directorate for extending it to his community. A voluntarily HIV/AIDS counseling and testing session held for the people after the launching ceremony was patronized by 52 persons.