‘Red Arrow’ Campaign To End Tuberculosis Launched By NGOs In Health In Ghana

The Greater Accra Branch of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health has launched a Tuberculosis awareness initiative known as ‘The Red Arrow Campaign’.

The campaign seeks to create communication pieces and messages for a series of activities for different audiences intended to get everyone that is affected by TB to get help. 

Preliminary studies in Ghana shows that there are 286 TB cases per every 100,000 people which is well above the WHO target of 92 cases in every 100,000 people.

This makes TB a major public health concern. Unfortunately, not enough attention has been given to the disease.

The Regional Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, Samuel Boateng Arthur speaking at the launch of the campaign at the British Council recalled how Ghana without much success had embarked on a number TB control programmes aimed at its eradication. 

He said these measures had not been successful because of stigma and the unavailability of funds for testing and treatment of the disease.

He said eradicating TB is achievable but it would take a while and a lot of effort.

“In the past TB community's focus was on managing and controlling TB. Today we join the Stop TB Partnership worldwide and at the country level to say we have expanded our ambition to Ending TB.

But before we get there, what can we do to prevent these unnecessary deaths from TB disease? There is the need for a paradigm shift and this is what the Red Arrow Unite to End TB campaign by the Coalition of NGOs in Health offers”.

Outline of the Red Arrow Campaign 

•To get key partners and stakeholders to sign and endorse the commitment banner to declare support for the ‘Unite To End TB campaign’.

• Communicate Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) resolve to end TB in Ghana. 

•The TB ‘Somafour’ Encounters: Somafour in Local parlance literally means the TB Messenger or Emissary. The TB Somafour who himself was once infected with TB, suffered quite an ordeal till he chanced on treatment and support with the support of an NGO. He has been treated of TB and he is motivated by his tragic experience of living with TB disease and his breakthrough in accessing treatment to help others.

The Red Arrow, End TB media launch also brought together key actors from various sectors to outline the scope and deliverables under the 90-day campaign.

The campaign would seek to screen 1,000,000 (one million) people in the Greater Accra Region and to find and support 3,000 diagnosed TB cases to access treatment and attain cure.