The Ghana Health Service has confirmed that Ghana has recorded its first case of \u00a0extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Tuberculosis (TB).<\/p>\n
According to the Service, the victim of the extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has been confirmed dead.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”LHzKtiBNFWJ2oL6GcgJdlgFWkoz1MgmI”]The rare type of TB known as XDR TB does not respond to standard treatment with first-line anti-TB drugs, and can take up to two years or more to treat with drugs that are less potent, more toxic and much more expensive.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media sensitization programme on Tuberculosis on Friday, Manager of the TB Control Programme at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Frank Bonsu, called for a concerted effort to fight the emerging threat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need leaders to fight the menace which is coming to Ghana, the drug-resistant TB, I am not proud to announce to you that Ghana has reported its first case of XDR TB, the TB is resistance to all known treatment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, attention needs to be paid to XDR TB\u00a0 before it becomes an epidemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t contain and this breaks down as an epidemic we are finished as a country,\u201dhe said.<\/p>\n
He said as a preventive exercise, relative and neighbours of the deceased will be examined to make sure they have not been affected, whiles Ghanaians would be educated on world TB day on 22nd<\/sup> March about the disease.<\/p>\n Dr. Ofosu said the regional health directorate was working harder to cases of Tuberculosis.<\/p>\n He admitted that the disease had remained a major public health concern globally as current efforts to reach, treat and cure everyone who got ill with the disease had not been sufficient though it is curable.<\/p>\n