Kuntanase (Ash), Nov 29, GNA - Dr (Mrs) Agartha Akua Bonney, Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Director of Health Services, has called for more efforts to detect Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the District.

She said that in 2003, only 12.4 per cent of cases were detected in the district as compared to 42 per cent detection in the Kumasi metropolis.

The district, she said, therefore had a lot of work to do to reach the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target of 55 per cent of cases by 2005.

Speaking at a training workshop at Kuntanase, Dr Bonney said according to WHO estimates at least one-third of the total world population was infested with TB.

In spite of this, many people refused to report for treatment due to the stigma attached to the disease, poverty and other factors, she said and appealed to the people to support the campaign to stop the stigmatisation attached to the disease.

Dr Bonney said all health workers in the District were being trained to cover as many patients as possible.

She said some drug sellers and community-based organisations had already been trained to help increase the coverage and treatment of TB, which was free of charge.

Dr Bonney called on parents especially nursing mothers to continue regular visits to hospitals and to complete their post-natal clinic period to enable their children to get the needed protection at their infancy.