Tema, March 27, GNA -- Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate recorded 394 tuberculosis cases in 2007 bringing the case detection rate in the metropolis to 20.4. The detection rate recorded during the period showed an increase of 4.3 per cent over the 16.1 detection rate recorded in 2006. Mr Harvey Akafu, Tema Metropolitan Health Information Officer in an interview with Ghana News Agency on Thursday explained that the case detection rate was the measure used to detect the number of cases in a given population.

He said increase in the detection rate was encouraging as it would help reduce the rate of infection since more people voluntary reported to the health facilities for early treatment. Mr Akafu observed that the increase was in-line with this year's theme; 'I am stopping TB' for the World TB Day celebration which fell on Monday, March 24 but the celebration in Ghana was launched on March 18 at Wa in Upper West Region. Giving a breakdown of the cases, he said 101 cases were recorded during the first quarter while the second quarter saw the detection of 104 cases.

In the third quarter of 2007, 95 cases were recorded while 94 cases were reported during the fourth quarter. Mr Akafu said 104 out of 282 patients tested positive for HIV after voluntarily screening.

He urged the public to report TB cases to the hospital early for treatment at any public health centre whenever they cough blood for two weeks or more adding that TB was curable and its treatment was free. Mr Akafu advised for personal and environmental hygiene stressing on the need for people to avoid crowded rooms and enclosed areas that lacked enough ventilation as the disease could be transferred through sneezing, shouting, talking, coughing and singing. He said measures instituted by the directorate to increase the number of cases reported was collaboration with health officials in the metropolis to embark on training programmes through community durbars. The number of private health facilities participating in the TB health programme has also been increased to ensure that more people get ready access to free treatment.

In addition, Community Treatment Supporters comprising community members and relatives of TB patients have been trained to help administer drugs.