Asuogyaman: The Asuogyaman District Health Directorate in the Eastern Region has engaged students of Akwamuman Senior High School in a tuberculosis awareness campaign to commemorate World Tuberculosis Day. The event, held under the theme 'Together We Can End TB,' brought together students and teachers for an educational session on the causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of the disease.
According to Ghana News Agency, the sensitisation programme, held on the school campus, aimed to educate participants on tuberculosis (TB) while encouraging them to help spread awareness in their homes and communities. The health team urged both teachers and students to adopt preventive measures and seek early medical attention when symptoms are detected.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Simon Kortey, TB Coordinator at the Asuogyaman District Health Directorate, said tuberculosis remained a serious public health concern but could be prevented and cured when detected early. Mr. Kortey explained that TB mainly affects the lungs, although it can also affect other parts of the body. He noted that the disease spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, spits, or talks without covering the mouth.
'We advised the students to always cover their mouths when coughing and to report early to the hospital if they are coughing or feel unwell,' he said. Mr. Kortey added that common symptoms of TB include persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss, night sweats, fever, and general weakness. He noted that although anyone could contract the disease, people with weak immune systems and those living in crowded conditions were at higher risk.
The health team also encouraged students to avoid stigmatising persons diagnosed with TB, explaining that fear and discrimination often prevented people from seeking timely treatment. Some students who spoke to the GNA described the engagement as insightful, noting that it had improved their understanding of the disease.
Grace Ofori, a Form Two student, said many previously believed TB was caused by cold weather or dust. 'Now we know it is an infectious disease that spreads through coughing, and that we must protect ourselves by covering our mouths and reporting symptoms early,' she said. Samuel Tetteh, another student, said the education had empowered them to become health ambassadors in their communities. He said students would share the information with their parents, siblings, and friends to help create awareness.
World Tuberculosis Day is observed annually on March 24 to raise awareness about TB and strengthen global efforts to end the disease.