Inadequate testing machines, stigmatization hampering TB management in Bono region -health directorate

                                                           The Bono Regional Health Directorate has intimated that inadequate Tuberculosis testing machine among other challenges is hampering the effective management of the disease.

Mr. Mark Kyeremeh Oppong, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the TB unit of the directorate made this disclosure on Ark FM’s Health Matters monitored by Soiree News 

He was speaking as part of awareness creation on Tuberculosis.

According to him, in about 12 Districts in the region, only seven have the machine while the other five transport samples to nearby facilities for testing.

Mr. Kyeremeh wants benevolent Ghanaians to support the fight against the dreadful disease as was done with the novel coronavirus pandemic. March is TB Awareness Month.

Despite being treatable, TB is still a major cause of death around the world.

This year, the theme is 'Invest to End TB. Save Lives. He was also worried about the rate of stigmatization of persons with TB.

He again called for financial assistance to enable them rollout all campaign programs

 
Mr. Kyeremeh Oppong further revealed that the region in 2021 diagnosed 620 TB cases as against the estimated number of almost 2000. Out of the 620 cases, 520 were cured with not less than 44 deaths.

A health promotion officer with the directorate, Akosua Agyeiwaa who was also on the show cautioned the public against herbal medicine in curing TB since there has not been any proven evidence.