$18 million needed annually to fight TB - National Tuberculosis Control Program

Director of National Tuberculosis Control Program, Dr. Frank Bonsu has said that the unit is struggling to discharge its duties of combating tuberculosis because its annual budget is woefully unmet.

According to him, the NTCP needs an average of 18 million dollars per annual to treat Tuberculosis patients.

“We need a minimum of 18 million dollars every year only

Read full articlefor TB and that is not easy and that is why other sectors must get involved,” he said.

Dr. Bonsu who was speaking at the media launch of World Tuberculosis Day in Accra on Friday said, “Treating Tb patients is for societal good, we are not doing anyone a favour”.

He said, the government on his part is doing well by providing funding for operational cost but the real work of doing onto the field to sensitize victims, provide services to them is lacking.

“Government do its part, it pays the utility, the cost of our salaries, everything but there’s still some element we need to do operationally” he added.

According to him, the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP) was getting funding from International bodies and donor agencies but upon those funding were redrawn after Ghana attained the status of middle income country.

“That is why we had the funding mechanism but it is no longer there,” he said.

The celebration which is slated for Thursday, 22nd March is themed “wanted, leaders for a TB free Ghana, you can make history, end TB.