Stop TB Partnership

HOUSE TO HOUSE TB EDUCATION AND SCREENING SAVES LIVES

Charles Appiah is a 40 year old farmer and has two children living with his sister. Charles lives with his mother and maternal uncle in Abeka, a community about 12 Kilometers from Ajumako, the District Capital of the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District in the Central Region of Ghana. Until he was diagnosed of TB, Charles was very hard working as a peasant farmer but he used all his earnings for smoking "wee" (Indian hemp), cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Charles realised that he was coughing seriously and eventually, coughing up blood, felt very weak, lost appetite and had chest pains. Through a drama outreach educational durbar organised by Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) in his community, his mother related the signs and symptoms discussed at the educational durbar to what her son was experiencing. She therefore suspected TB and impressed upon him to visit the health center. At the nearest health center, he was referred to the district hospital where he was diagnosed of TB through a sputum test. Charles was immediately put on treatment but he defaulted and his situation deteriorated. He no longer visited the health center.

During a house to house education and screening session organised by HFFG’s trained volunteers, Charles was screened for TB and sent to the district hospital for treatment by the volunteer. He was once again put on treatment and the volunteer offered to be his treatment supporter. Through the support of the volunteer, Charles has since adhered to treatment for the past five months. He is now stronger and looking very good.

As Charles said, "I really thank HFFG and the volunteer for visiting me and sending me back to the hospital for treatment. Because I defaulted, I did not know how to go back to the hospital. I resorted to herbal medicine and my sickness became worse. I almost died. If it hadn’t been the visit by the volunteer to my house, I surely would have died. Through the education, visits and support by the volunteer, I have quit smoking and drinking and I am adhering to treatment. I am very happy that I have been brought back to life through the work of the volunteer. I want everybody to know that TB is real but it is Curable and treatment is absolutely FREE. I would want to go everywhere to spread the information to all corners of the country where people are still dying of TB."