The Greater Accra Tuberculosis (TB) Advocacy Committee under the National Tuberculosis Programme has called on the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District assemblies to pay more attention to TB cases in their communities.

This is because TB kills faster than HIV/AIDS but often remained shrouded in silence and misinformation that had led to delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment options and unnecessary suffering.

The Committee also called for more coordination between the assemblies and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to access funding to support vulnerable TB patients in the communities.

“Ensure representation of TB membership at the various assemblies on the HIV/AIDS Committees,” they stated.

The call was made at a day’s TB advocacy meeting of coordinators to facilitate the development of requisite laws and implementation of guidelines to help address the numerous challenges facing TB patients.

Madam Jane Amerley Oku of the Janok Foundation and Chairperson of the TB Advocacy Committee said the deteriorating situation of patients was due to little consideration being given to the disease that had impacted the health of the people.

She advised policymakers to adhere to TB issues and incorporate its funding into the national budget, adding, “It is crucial that collectively we foster an environment where discussions about TB are not only encouraged but normalised.

Madam Oku said, “Let us embrace the spirit of collaboration together, we can create a future where every person affected by TB can have access to the care, support and information he or she needs.”

She urged the coordinators to continue with their advocacy programmes in their communities to broaden the stakeholders’ consultation and to speed up the process of developing a law that would set aside a special fund for TB issues to address the challenges.