Accra, May 26, GNA - A Ghanaian non-governmental organization, Integrated Development In Focus (DIF), has won the 2009 WHO -Geneva Stop TB Partnership programme under the Challenge Facility for Civil Society Organisations.

The Stop TB Partnership challenge Facility for CSO for 2009 is being implemented in 25 communities in the Ga West District of Greater Accra. The beneficiary communities include Pokuase, Ofankor, Amamole, Otsirikomfo, Manyerefase, Okaiman, Osofoaman and Owulamam.

The facility is to enable DIF in collaboration with the Ga West District Health Directorate and the National TB Control Programme to step up enhanced TB advocacy and public education to empower community volunteers including chiefs, queen mothers, and assembly members. The trained community volunteers will advocate and step up educational, promotional and preventive information, improve access to quality care, nutritional education, formation of support groups, strengthen referral system through aggressive community promotional activities for positive attitudinal and behaviour change. The Executive Director of DIF, Miss Josephine Agbo, said her organization's hardwork made it possible to be selected as the only Ghanaian NGO to be considered for 2009 WHO-Geneva Stop TB Partnership support.

She said under the challenge Facility for CSO for 2009, DIF and its partners would build on the Directly Observed Treatment and Services (DOTS) to meet the TB-related Millennium Development Goals through specific activities such as addressing TB/HIV co-infection, Multi Drug Resistance, MDR-TB and other special challenges. The goal is to further empower people especially chiefs and other opinion leaders to de-stigmatize TB in the communities so that people will voluntarily offer themselves for early diagnosis and for prompt referral to appropriate facilities for treatment According to the Executive Director of DIF, out of the 362 TB clients projected by the District Health Directorate for 2009, only one client has been identified as at the end of the first quarter. She said with effective collaboration from the Ga West Health Services and the National TB Control Programme, DIF will help minimize the TB cases in the area.

She said earlier advocacy activities by DIF in the Ga West and Ga South districts whipped up enthusiasm among the chiefs and youth as they expressed joy to have an NGO come to discuss TB/HIV related issues. Miss Agbo said traditional authorities have pledged their support to advocate collectively making the voice of the TB community and their care givers heard so as to shape policy making at the local and national levels.

Miss Agbo said as a result of similar advocacy programme in Ga South, there has been a positive response to an appeal to refurbish the laboratory of the Kokrobite Community Clinic. This has made it easier for people to have prompt check and start treatment. According to her, people with suspected TB cases were formerly referred to the Kaneshie Polyclinic, but some did not report, a situation she noted threatens the national effort at eliminating TB.