Over 40 cases of a new dangerous type of Tuberculosis have been recorded in the Ashanti region, according to the Ghana Health Service.
The different type of Tuberculosis is resistant to the normal tuberculosis drugs. A cough from a victim, according to Tuberculosis specialist, Dr. Alberta Bretum at the Ashanti regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service spreads faster and contains at least about one thousand of strong bacteria.
“We the health professionals on the medical field know it as a dangerous disease but I don’t think the locals in the communities have understood it as such.
“To able to treat it, victims have to go through daily painful injection for a period of eight months including daily intake of drugs for a period of about 24 months unlike the normal TB treatment which last for a period of six months,” She said.
Dr. Anthony Emimil, head of Chest Clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital also revealed that the hospital has diagnosed a number of such cases for some time now.
What makes this disease dangerous according to Dr. Bretum is that victims stand the chance of losing their hearing ability.
“What makes the disease more dangerous is that, because we combine a lot of drugs in fighting the bacteria, the drugs become toxic in the body of the victim and the side effect is for the victim to lose his or her hearing senses after treatment,” Dr. Bretum.
Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako Justice who conducted an investigation in some hospitals in Kumasi indicated that, the Ashanti regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service has run out of drugs to treat the disease as funding for the disease comes from foreign donors.
Investigations by Bediako also uncovered that all the trained tuberculosis specialists and nurses who can screen people for the deadly disease from community to community are relaxing in their offices since there are limited logistics.
“My brother the disease is fast spreading in the region, the 40 contracted cases recorded in the region is more than a year. As at now we don’t even know the actual figures, a colleague in this facility has contracted the disease in this facility and as I speak with you she has lost her hearing ability,” a Nurse revealed to Bediako on condition of anonymity.
The nurse added that the unfortunate aspect of fighting this disease is that “the bacteria is now growing resistance to drugs because there are always shortage of TB drugs in the country.”
She stressed all the staff of the hospital are worried about the disease and are calling on government to pay particular attention to the treatment of Tuberculosis in the country.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Isaac Bediako Justice
