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Ghana makes progress in TB case detection, treatment
Ghana in 2024 achieved the highest Tuberculosis (TB) treatment success rate of 90.6 per cent of the 20,599 new cases detected.
The current treatment rate exceeded the national TB treatment target of 90 per cent for 2025. Similarly, deaths among patients on anti-TB treatment was 12, 200, representing 5.1 per cent of TB death rate, a reduction in the previous trend ranging from eight to 10 per cent.
Despite the success chalked in TB cases detection, 24,000 of the estimated 44, 000 cases were missed due to inadequate funding, Dr Yaw Adusi-Poku, the Programme Manager, National TB Control Programme, said at the commemoration of the 2025 World TB Day in Accra on Monday.
He said, last year, Ghana identified 900 children with tuberculosis infections in the brain, spine and other organs, out of a projected target of 16,000 children.
Dr Adusi-Poku said the country presently needed commodities for TB treatment and control for the year 2025 and 2026.
He called on stakeholders to invest more in the screening of adults and children to aid in early case detection and treatment.
More than 70 districts have no GeneXpert machines and for Paediatric TB, Dr Adusi-Poku said, adding that currently only 77 facilities had digital x-ray machines.
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, called on all to take decisive actions to end TB.
He said the government was determined to increase funding for TB control activities, essential services and medical supplies.
“The government is committed to improving access to diagnostic tools like Gen Xpert and digital Xrays to ensure that no life is lost to TB,” the Minister said.
Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Director General, Ghana Health Service (GHS), said Ghana had, over the years, lacked the will and resources to screen people and provide the needed treatment.
He said the fight against TB required a strong commitment from leaders at all levels, with adequate funding for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Prof. Akoriyea said the GHS would intensify the capacity of healthcare workers to be abreast of the latest TB treatment interventions.
The World TB Day is celebrated on March 24, each year, to raise public awareness on the deadliest infectious killer and its devastating health, social and economic impact on people around the world.
The theme for this year’s celebration is: “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) urges countries to commit by ensuring rapid implementation of its guidance and policies, strengthen national strategies and full funding.
It called on leaders to invest in TB prevention with proper financing, stating that TB prevention success depends on community leadership, civil society action, and cross-sector collaboration.
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Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
