The Municipal Chief Executive for Assin North, Mr Kwabena Karikari-Apau has entreated people infected with Tuberculosis (TB) to endeavour to seek prompt treatment at the hospitals, instead of going to prayer camps. He said TB was curable and its treatment was free and urged the public to join in the crusade against the spread of the disease as well as refrain from stigmatizing those infected. Mr Karikari-Apau who was addressing a forum to mark TB day in the Assin Dompim Municipality said the government was already doing its part by providing free medical treatment and food packages for TB patients. He said the people could complement such efforts by taking preventive measures such as immunizing children against TB and practicing environmental cleanliness, avoiding overcrowding, ensuring adequate ventilation in their rooms and eating balanced diets. He said simple habits like covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding indiscriminate spitting could go a long way to control the spread of the disease. Mr Karikari-Apau said government recognized the critical role that the health sector played in national development and that the expansion of health facilities, improvement of logistics and conditions of service for health workers were evidence of government’s commitment to improve the health delivery system in the country. He said the Municipal Assembly and the District Health Directorate had been collaborating to improve the health delivery system and expressed the hope that the collaboration would be strengthened to enhance health care in the municipality. He asked all the people to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Dr Nii Adjetey, District Director of Health Services, said the objective of the Day was to create awareness of the dangers of the disease and appealed to those who know much about the disease to educate their relatives a and friends about it. Mr Agyei Kyere Blankson, the Municipal TB Coordinator said 82 TB cases were recorded in 2007 as against 56 the previous year. He said habits that could lead to one contracting the disease include smoking and drinking and appealed to Ghanaians to refrain from such habits. GNA