Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year TB affects 10 million individuals worldwide, resulting in 1.5 million deaths. Despite the fact that TB is preventable and treatable, it remains the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV and AIDS).
In Ghana, it is also estimated that over 76,000 Ghanaians were afflicted with TB, with more than 9,700 people dying of the disease each year. It is also the primary cause of mortality among individuals with HIV and a significant factor in the development of antimicrobial resistance. Although Ghana has made efforts to combat TB, the country still faces numerous obstacles in providing effective treatment and care.
While there has been some progress in improving treatment success rates, the pace has been slow due to the persistent challenges of identifying TB cases. Stigmatization and human rights issues against individuals affected by TB, particularly young people with HIV and TB, contribute to this difficulty.
Young individuals living with HIV, particularly, grapple with the fear of facing dual rejection. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated the burden of TB in Ghana, with many individuals hesitating to provide sputum samples due to concerns about mandatory COVID-19 testing, potentially leading to fatal outcomes if diagnosed positive.
Moreover, there is a stark deficiency in political commitment, evident in the government’s failure to allocate adequate resources to combat TB, coupled with the underperformance of the Parliamentary Caucus dedicated to addressing TB issues.
However, a local Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Ghana called the Hope For Future Generations (HFFG) in partnership and funding support from StopTB Partnership Geneva has introduced a digital tool called the TBImpactGH App.
The App serves as a platform for people with TB to access information on TB care and education, access to TB health services and treatment centres in proximity to the client, a channel to log complaints or difficulties in accessing TB services and treatment as well as issues of stigma, discrimination and Human Rights violations. This community-led interventions is currently taking place in three regions in Ghana; the Greater Accra, Volta and Central Region.
HFFG is a Ghanaian, community based, NGO, not-for-profit organization that facilitates and improves the health, education and socio-economic status of our beneficiaries. Their work focuses on women, children, young people, and persons with disabilities including people with mental health conditions.
In an interview conducted exclusively with the project manager for the TB initiative, Emmanuella Kwamee, she highlighted the app’s role in improving the delivery of TB services.
According to her, the app empowers individuals undergoing treatment to report any issues they encounter while receiving care. This real-time feedback mechanism enables them to improve the national TB response by gaining direct insights from those accessing services. The platform also provides information on health facilities that have TB services with a map for directions as well.
“The TB project is very important because TB remains a global crisis and if you check the statistics as at 2022 over 10 million globally were affected by TB over one million died by TB. The sad part of this issue is that TB is curable and preventable. We have no justification to allow a disease that is curable to allow this number of people to die from TB”, she bemoaned.
Madam Emmauella continued that, this implies that by implementing effective measures and empowering our communities with the knowledge of proper procedures, “there is a possibility for the global community to overcome TB.
Therefore, introducing a project like this, which places community members at its core, holds significant importance because ultimately, it is a participatory endeavor. It’s crucial to acknowledge that individuals undergoing TB treatment consistently encounter various barriers, and addressing these challenges is paramount.”
Engagement with relevant stakeholders
On this path, she disclosed that, a significant aspect of this project revolves around advocacy. When examining the funds allocated for TB programs from international organizations, it becomes evident that these funds are gradually diminishing.
As these donor funds dwindle, Madam Emmanuella said urged that there is a pressing need for the government to augment its co-financing of TB programming in Ghana. Consequently, her outft have initiated engagements with the health select committee to highlight the challenges surrounding TB and underscore the necessity of augmenting government co-financing.
Through these engagements, they are hoping that these efforts will yield success in the future of Ghana.
In terms of partnership on the TB project, “we have jointly implemented some of our activities with the national TB voice network which is an Association of persons living with or cured of TB so it is more of TB affected community network. We have also worked with the StopTB Partnership Ghana.
In most of our activities we collaborate with the Ghana Health Service because they are the leading organizations when it comes to TB services delivery in health facilities so we make sure that for all of our activities we work closely with them.”
“In each of the nine districts where we operate, we have trained a total of 27 volunteers, with three volunteers assigned to each district. These dedicated advocates are stationed at different health facilities within their respective districts. At the end of each month, they gather the data they have collected and collaborate with Ghana Health Service staff at the Observed Treatment Unit.
Together, they review the month’s data, validate any issues identified, and work collaboratively to find solutions based on their findings. With the invaluable assistance of these volunteers, we have achieved significant progress”, she added.
Success Stories with the TB Project.
Success stories from individuals benefiting from the TBImpactGH App further highlight its transformative potential. For instance, Yaw Mensah from Cape Coast in the central region after losing his 24-year-old son to TB and subsequently being diagnosed with the disease himself, Mr. Mensah faced numerous challenges, including inadequate treatment and lack of support from healthcare facilities. However, the intervention of the Hope For Future Generations (HFFG) project brought about a positive transformation for him and his family.
Additionally, his wife tested positive for TB, highlighting the need for comprehensive screening and support for affected households. Through the efforts of the HFFG project team, Mr. Mensah and his family received post-TB treatment counseling and support, ensuring their successful completion of treatment.
Similarly, Kojo, a resident of a slum in Aflao, Ghana, faced stigma and discrimination from his neighbors after being diagnosed with TB. His experience led him to contemplate suicide due to the shame and isolation he felt.
However, through the TBIMPACTGH project, Kojo received counseling and support from a TB Advocate who had successfully undergone treatment himself. Initially hesitant to involve others, Kojo eventually found solace in the Advocate’s guidance and the project’s intervention.
“When the TB advocate came to collect data from me and asked if I was tested for HIV, I panicked and was scared of contracting HIV. The Advocate explained why it was necessary to do the test because of opportunistic infection associated with low immunity, I did not receive such counseling at the chest clinic and I am very grateful to the project”. Kojo said.
With education and awareness about TB, Kojo’s neighbors became supportive, and he no longer felt alone in his journey. Grateful for the support he received, Kojo now serves as a beacon of hope for others facing similar challenges, demonstrating the power of community-based initiatives in overcoming stigma and promoting health and well-being.
This article does not only showcase the incredible work being done in Ghana but also raise awareness about the urgent need for innovative solutions to combat TB on a global scale. Through this article, we hope to inspire change, foster collaboration, and ultimately contribute to the eradication of TB in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
