The Deputy Minister for Health, Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has called for renewed urgency and stronger community involvement in Ghana’s fight against tuberculosis (TB), as the country joined the global observance of World Tuberculosis Day 2026.
Speaking under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by Communities, Powered by the People,” she stressed that eliminating the disease will require sustained commitment and grassroots participation.
She disclosed that an estimated 44,000 people in Ghana develop TB each year, yet less than half are detected and placed on treatment—an alarming gap that continues to undermine national control efforts.
To strengthen the response, the Deputy Minister highlighted ongoing government interventions, including the deployment of AI-powered digital X-ray systems, the procurement of 15 GeneXpert machines, and TB-LAM test kits to improve diagnosis. She added that the Free Primary Healthcare programme is also helping to expand access to early detection and treatment.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, emphasised that identifying and treating every TB case remains critical to breaking the chain of transmission. He praised health workers across the country for their dedication to patient care and disease control.
Adding a global perspective, Fiona Braka of the World Health Organization warned that TB continues to claim lives across Africa at an alarming rate, with one death recorded every 83 seconds. She called for stronger leadership, increased investment, and empowered communities to accelerate progress toward elimination.
The commemoration ended with a renewed call for coordinated action, as stakeholders emphasised that with sustained political will, adequate resources, and active community participation, ending TB as a public health threat in Ghana remains achievable.
