TB IS CURABLE — ALICE KURANCHIE (PAGE 21)

Story: Joe Okyere, Assin Jakai

THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Assin South, Ms Millicent Alice Koranche, has asked Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of the fact that tuberculosis is a spiritual disease and a curse to victims.
Ms Koranche also advised the people against the belief that victims of the disease would surely die once infected.
In an address at the launch of World Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Day at Assin Jakai, she asked people not to stigmatise those with the disease, since that would compel them to keep it to themselves and deliberately spread it.
She reminded the people that the disease was curable, and that its treatment was also free, as the government, with support from donors such as the Global Fund, provided funds for patients.
The DCE said the treatment was also supported with some monies to patients for transportation to and from healing facilities, and some food items, with motivation for relatives who took upon themselves to care for the patients at home.
She advised mothers to vaccinate their new-born babies against the disease, and also appealed to all to send their infected relatives to health facilities for treatment.
The District Director of the Ghana Health Service, Mr Mends K. Quaning, advised people infected with the disease to seek early treatment at health facilities, instead of going to prayer camps or keeping the infection secret.
He said statistics at the district indicated that many patients did not report at the health facilities.