A deadly infectious disease, the World Health Organisation estimates that the country has a case incidence of 44,000 TB.

However, only 20,599 cases could be recorded, living 24,000 others undetected.

Of those who attended health facilities with the condition, 97 per cent of them were treated.

Also, of an estimated 4,400 children suspected to have TB in the country in 2024, only 900 were detected, with 3,500 of them missing out.

Apart from the lungs, the TB germs (bacilli) attack the brain, the spine and other organs, especially when diagnosed late.

This came to light at the launch of this year’s World TB Day in Accra yesterday .

The day, which is commemorated on March 24, every year, was on the theme:"Yes! We can end TB! Commit, invest, deliver." 

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who was speaking at the launch, said too many cases remained undiagnosed in the country, especially among children, adding that in 2023, TB claimed 13,200 lives in the country.

And across the world, he said, TB remained one of the deadliest infectious diseases. In 2023, more than 10.8 million people worldwide were affected, with 1.25 million of them losing their lives.

“As a government, we are determined to increase funding for TB control activities, including essential logistics and medical supplies; access to diagnostic tools like GeneXpert machines and digital X-rays, while strengthening healthcare systems to ensure no TB patient goes undiagnosed or untreated,” the minister said.

The World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Frank Lule, said that the country needed more action, commitment and sustained investment if it was to root out TB.

The Programme Manager, National TB Control Programme (NTP), Dr Yaw Adusi-Poku, who gave an update of TB control in the country, said low treatment coverage of both adult and pediatric TB was due to inadequate funds, adding that more than 70 districts in the country did not have GeneXpert machines to detect TB.

And for paediatric TB, only 77 facilities currently had digital x-ray machines.

Representatives from other stakeholders such as Stop TB Partnership, TB Voices and Aurum Institute, all called for adequate local funding as donor funding had dwindled.

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