Fight against TB - Let’s educate public in local languages
A Senior Medical Officer at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), Dr Emmanuel Addipa-Adapoe, has called for more education on Tuberculosis (TB) in languages that people understand other than English.
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That, he said, would ensure that more people visited the hospital voluntarily to test for TB for early detection and treatment, which was free in public hospitals across the country. Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of the hospital’s commemoration of this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, he said while the public might not have had enough education on TB, “what we should be doing is educating people in languages that they understand.
The English is too much so even if we speak English, many people may not have understood”.
The GARH conducted a one-week screening of TB for the public at Osu, the Tudu Market, Art Centre, Tema Station and the VVIP Station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra as part of the commemoration.
TB Day
World TB Day is commemorated on March 24 every year to raise awareness of the importance of screening and treatment of what has been described as one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
It also serves as a platform for stakeholders to renew commitment, inspire and take action to end TB. This year’s commemoration is on the theme: “Yes! We can end TB”. Dr Addipa-Adapoe said the exercise was to take the screening on the doorstep of the people as part of efforts in the fight against TB.
Curable
He called on the public to make it a personal initiative to go to the hospital to screen for the disease. He said TB, if not detected early, could affect other parts of the body including the spine, hence the need for early detection.
“The emphasis is on the fact that TB is curable so come to the hospital and let’s properly screen you. “Everything in the management of TB is free, so you don’t need to worry about paying for anything,” he said.
Self-medication
Dr Addipa-Adapoe cautioned against self-medication in the treatment of TB, adding that “even paracetamol, overdose can cause irreversible organ damage, which kills people faster,” he said.
He added that the GARH would continue to provide free screening and the six-month treatment of persons diagnosed with TB throughout the year.
