Ghana, Netherlands sign pact to improve TB detection rate

Ghana and The Netherlands have signed an agreement to begin a project aimed at increasing the current low tuberculosis (TB) detection rate in the country.

The Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, signed for Ghana, while the Netherlands' Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hans Docter, signed for the Netherlands.

The two-year project, dubbed “Accelerating Tuberculosis Case Detection in Ghana,” is to be jointly implemented by a Dutch company, Oldelft Benelux, and the Ghana government at a cost of £21.6 million out of which £7.56 million is covered by a facility from the ORIO,  a programme that gives support for infrastructure development, which is run by the government of The Netherlands.

ORIO provides grants for public infrastructure development in developing countries in order to contribute to human and private sector development.

At present, 63,000 people suffer from TB annually, while a 2013 National TB prevalence survey revealed that out of every 100,000 Ghanaians, 264 were affected by the disease.

Under the project, Delft Imaging Systems, manufacturers of diagnostic X-ray products, will also supply nationwide 52 digital imaging systems that consist of a combination of fixed units and mobile clinics as well as accompanying information technology services.

TB curable 

Speaking at a signing ceremony in Accra, Mr Segbefia said when timely diagnosed and promptly treated, TB could be cured and controlled.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2015 statistics, the TB case detection rate in Ghana was about 33 per cent  but the treatment success rate was actually 87 per cent.

“So when detected, we can actually cure it. It is a priority disease and we hope that these new machines that we are going to get  into the country under the project  would bridge the gap or detection rate in the country and also increase revenue generation for the hospitals,” Mr Segbefia said.

He, therefore, lauded the support of the Netherland government, adding that the cooperation would enable Ghana to increase its detection rate to 85 per cent.

Innovative project 

In his remarks, the Netherlands' Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hans Docter, described the project as an innovation which basically paid for itself.

“In the past we gave equipment and when maintenance became expensive or there were no spare parts to fix them, they got destroyed, and they became a waste,’’ he said.

Additionally, he said a large number of the equipment was on solar and, therefore, did not need to be linked to the national grid, a situation which was an advantage to those in the remote areas.

Mr Docter said the project would also generate funds for the hospitals while equipping them to be able to maintain the equipment.

He further lauded the role of Ghana and by extension the Ministry of Health in reforming the health sector to provide better services to people.