The world celebrates World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 annually. A day set aside to commemorate the astounding discovery of the TB bacillus by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. Today, World TB Day represents more than a commemoration of a discovery. It serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing global epidemic of TB, underscoring the persistent challenges it presents and the shortcomings in global efforts to eradicate it. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the disease through public education and engagement, emphasizing the need for collective action and unity within the global community to combat TB effectively.
Over a century has passed since tuberculosis first emerged, yet its grip on public health persists. Before the advent of COVID-19, tuberculosis stood as the leading cause of death attributed to a single infectious agent worldwide. Approximately 10 million people are infected and about 1.3 million of them die annually as a result of this disease. There is therefore the need to improve efforts to dispel myths and misinformation about the disease, and to empower society to be ambassadors in achieving our shared goal of ending TB.
To contribute to this cause, a team from the Bacteriology department and the Communications unit at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research- University of Ghana, led by Prof. Dorothy-Yeboah Manu, launched a community-based public education campaign on 25th March 2024. This initiative was supported by the EDCTP3-funded PANGenS (Pan-Africa Network for Genomic Surveillance of Poverty-Related Diseases and Emerging Pathogens) project in partnership with the Chest Diseases Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and Ussher Hospital.
The campaign started from KBTH, and efforts were extended to the Abossey Okai area, before advancing to the Jamestown community.
The public education session started from the KBTH polyclinic and the surgical unit waiting area. Staff disseminated essential information about tuberculosis, covering topics such as its symptoms, preventive measures, associated risk factors, and vulnerable groups, as well as the availability of free diagnosis and treatment services. The audience had the opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns they had. The team also shared some infographic materials or “TB is curable” stickers with the community, to remind them of the key information imparted during the session. Some of these materials were written in English language and translated into the Ghanaian local dialects- Asante Twi, Ewe, Ga, Dangbani, and Hausa. A public address system van from the Ussher Hospital accompanied the teams as they traversed from one location to another within the community, amplifying the spread of information and reaching a broader audience along the way.
The sessions at KBTH were succeeded by a door-to-door community outreach where teams ventured into the Abossey Okai and its environs to educate residents on tuberculosis. Team members utilizing utilized the Ghanaian local dialects Twi and Ga to effectively communicate with residents and ensure adequate comprehension of the information being shared. Infographic materials, storybooks, and stickers were also disseminated to the members of the community.
Efforts were further extended to the Jamestown community, where teams engaged with residents and workers as in the case of Abossey Okai. This approach, overall, facilitated comfortable and seamless interactions, fostering meaningful dialogue.
The community outreach continues to serve as an opportunity to educate the public about TB and help them appreciate that is it curable. This year’s World TB Day did just that, and the team hopes to reach more people in subsequent outreaches.
TB is Curable!