Ho, April 4, GNA - The Volta Region has recorded a total of 1972 cases of the infectious

type of tuberculosis (TB of the lungs) and achieved a cure rate of between 73.2 to 79.3 percent

between 2004 and 2007. Mr Theophilous B. Osei-Awuah, the Volta Regional TB Co-ordinator told the Ghana News

Agency in an interview. Figures made available to the GNA by Mr Osie-Awuah indicated that infectious TB cases in

the region dropped from 669 in 2004 to 651 in 2005 inching up to 652 in 2006. Overall the region recorded a total of 4742 TB cases including the non-infectious type during

the period. "We need to detect more cases and this can only happen if people and communities become

aware of the seriousness of TB and its associated illness and death", Dr Andrew Arde-Acquah,

Volta Regional Director of Health told the Press at a briefing in Ho to mark World TB day under

the theme, "I am stopping TB". He said it was important that anybody who coughs continuously for two weeks or more went

for test at the hospitals and clinics. Communities, relatives and friends of people who have tested positive to TB should also

encourage them to attend hospital and take their prescribed drugs, which are free daily until they

were declared fit by the supervising health worker. Dr Arde-Acquah said it was estimated that each person with active TB could infect 10 to 15

people with the disease in a year hence the need for everybody to act positively in tackling the

danger. "The best prevention for everybody is to ensure that TB patients at home take their

medications so that they can be cured and therefore do not spread the disease to others".