A Public Health Nurse and Tuberculosis (TB) Coordinator at the Accra Metropolitan Health Directorate, Sheila Serwaa Ayiripe, has identified persistent night sweats, chest pains and coughing up blood as some of the common symptoms of Tuberculosis (TB).
Speaking on ATV’s Anopa Bosuo, Ayiripe urged individuals who experience such symptoms to seek immediate medical attention at the hospital for proper testing and treatment. According to her, early detection remains one of the most effective ways to prevent complications and reduce the spread of the disease.
She explained that tuberculosis, an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs, spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. Other symptoms may include persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, weight loss, fatigue, fever and loss of appetite.
According to the World Health Organization, TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, with about 10 million people falling ill with tuberculosis each year globally. The disease also causes more than one million deaths annually, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
In Ghana, TB control efforts are led by the Ghana Health Service through the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, which provides free diagnosis and treatment in many public health facilities across the country. Health authorities have consistently encouraged people who experience persistent cough or related symptoms to report to health facilities early for screening.
Ayiripe emphasized that despite the seriousness of the disease, tuberculosis is curable and treatable when diagnosed early and patients adhere strictly to their prescribed medication.
She further called on the public to avoid self-medication and instead rely on professional medical care, noting that early reporting to health facilities can help prevent further transmission and improve recovery outcomes.
