Sandema (U/E), April 23, GNA- Community leaders including traditional authorities and assembly members have been called upon to ensure that Tuberculosis (TB) patients received full treatment in order not to transmit the disease to others. Mrs Olivia Achuliba, a Public Health Nurse of the Builsa North

District Health Directorate, made the call at Sandema in the Upper East Region, at a TB awareness creation durbar to sensitize the people on how to prevent and control the disease.

It was organized by Afro-Global Alliance, a non-governmental organization working to prevent and control diseases including TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria.

Mrs Achuliba explained that if community leaders contributed to the fight against TB, the number of effected persons would reduce. "Tuberculosis is a communicable disease that can be transmitted through spitting, coughing and sneezing and could be prevented and controlled if the affected person is educated and encouraged to undertake full treatment which is free," she said.

Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi, Builsa District Chief Executive (DCE), in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Ibrahim Al-hassan, Builsa District Coordinating Director, said it had been established that more than 2 million people were killed annually by TB world-wide. He said if measures were not taken to help prevent and control the disease it could be a disaster for the nation.

Mr Alonsi said the assembly would not relent in its efforts to support Afro-Global Alliance in its awareness creation programmes on the prevention and control of the disease. He said awareness creation programmes of the disease would inculcate in the people the practical measures that would help check its spread.

Mr Alonsi commended Afro-Global Alliance for training 20 volunteers on how to educate people to prevent and control the disease and appealed to the volunteers to use the knowledge acquired for the benefit of the communities.

Mr. Abudu Imoro, Programme Manager of Afro-Global Alliance, said the mission and the vision of the organisation was to help fight against diseases such as Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria among other diseases that were affecting national development.

He said productivity and growth were being hampered by preventable and controllable diseases.

Mr Imoro said the 20 trained volunteers were already on the field educating the public and reports indicated that many people who were affected by the disease were visiting health facilities for treatment.