Accra, March 4, GNA - Tuberculosis (TB) now poses a serious threat to society, both socially and economically, as infected persons remain dormant and unproductive due to the devastating impact of the disease. According to Dr. Frank Bonsu, Programme Manager, National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP), TB could affect every part of the body, including the uterus of females as well as the testes of males, but pulmonary TB, which is the commonest, affects almost half of the population.

He said this form affected the lungs, making it virtually impossible for patients to embark on any economic venture due to a breakdown of the immune system leading to perpetual weakness in the body and excessive coughing. Dr Bonsu, who was addressing a day's workshop for TB facilitators in Accra, said though TB was curable, many people especially those with HIV/AIDS, continued to die from TB more than any other curable infectious disease in the world. He said it was therefore important that the disease was tackled seriously to ensure that it would be reduced to the barest minimum through early reporting, diagnosis and treatment, if it were not eradicated completely.

It is estimated that 25,000 people develop active TB each day out of which 5,000 die of the disease.

Dr Bonsu explained that TB was an airborne disease, which was caused by a germ known as the mycobacterium tuberculosis. He said the disease could be divided into two main parts. One of them can be referred to as latent TB infection where people can only be carriers of the germ without any capability of infecting others and the TB disease itself, which is dangerous and infected persons can easily infect others through close contact over a considerable period of time. He explained that persons with latent TB cannot infect others but those with the TB disease could easily infect others through coughing, sneezing, shouting, sighing and even talking directly in front of others.

Dr Bonsu noted that when the TB germ is released into the air and is inhaled by a tuberculin-free person, the bacilli multiply within 4 to 6 weeks and spread throughout the body.

He identified the five forms of TB infections as Pulmonary TB, Extra Pulmonary TB, Multiple Drug Resistant TB, Extreme Drug Resistant TB and TB in HIV infected persons. The most common and dangerous form of TB is that of the lungs, which forms about 80 per cent of all TB cases. Dr Bonsu said 50 per cent of infected persons would die without treatment while 25 per cent could be cured through spontaneous actions, with the remaining 25 per cent developing chronic TB. He stated that this year's World TB Day, which should have been celebrated on March 24, would be held on March 18 in Wa because the original date is Easter Monday.

The day would be under the theme: "I am Stopping TB". It is a two-year campaign with a message of empowerment. This, together with other themes such as "You are Stopping TB, Join us", calls for concerted efforts by all and sundry to join hands to stop the disease. Dr Bonsu reiterated that TB control is no longer the preserve of a few health professionals, but everybody in the society. He also stressed the importance of other interventions such as avoiding overcrowding, ensuring good personal and public hygiene, early diagnosis and treatment, ensuring BCG vaccinations for newborns and controlling environmental pollution. Dr Bonsu said Ghana had recorded tremendous improvements through the TB control strategy known as Directly Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS), which had now reduced treatment from eight months to six months. According to statistics, in 1996, 6245 cases were recorded out of which 1,057 (16.9 per cent) were cured and 3,863 (61.9 per cent) were not evaluated.

The situation, however, improved by 2005 where out of 7,584 cases registered, 5,125 (67.6 per cent) got cured and 52 (0.7 per cent) cases were not evaluated. "The statistics show an increase in adherence to treatment. Proper supervision of patients has increased the cure rate as well as evaluated cases."

Dr Bonsu said with the introduction of the new treatment regimen it was expected that there would be better compliance to treatment to prevent Multi-Drug Resistant TB. He called for all hands to be on deck to fight TB in Ghana, since everybody was at risk. "We must stop stigmatizing those affected with TB and encourage them to seek early treatment, take their drugs and be bold advocates of the fact that TB is curable and treatment is free," he said. 4 March 08