The Sekyere South District in the Ashanti Region, has celebrated its World TB Day at Wiamoase with a call on people not to abandon TB patients but instead, comfort and encourage them to take their drugs and adhere to treatment regime.
Mr Osman Norgah Abdulai, District TB Co-ordinator, who made the call, said by ensuring that TB patients follow their treatment regime without default for a six month period, they would be cured and would be able to lead normal lives.
According to Mr Abdulai, who is also the Deputy Chief Medical Assistant in-charge of the Jamasi Health Centre, TB was curable and no more a dreadful disease as it used to be.
He said it was government's policy that TB treatment is free since it was being supported by the World Bank, adding that, through the Direct Observed Therapy Short Course (DOTS), treatment for the disease had become easy to cure, because patients received treatment at their doorsteps at no cost.
Mr Abdulai said it was the aim of health workers that TB patients completed their treatment to avoid transmitting it to other people and advised family members to support and encourage their affected relatives to take their drugs once they started and it should be continuous until treatment was completed.
He cautioned against stigmatization by family members and said such attitude would prevent infected people from coming out for treatment.
Nana Oforiwaa Amanfo, Queen of Wiamoase, who chaired the function, pledged the support of the traditional council to TB programmes to help stop the disease from spreading in the area.