Over 13.8% of cattle in Accra have T.B.

Dr Osei-Agyemang Bonsu, Senior Veterinary Officer in charge of Public Health, Greater Accra has disclosed that over 13.8 per cent of cattle in the Region are infected with tuberculosis.

Dr Bonsu told the Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr Osei Kwaku, and officials from SSNIT visited the Accra Abattoir Company Limited (AACL) on Tuesday that all 150 cattle examined last year at 13 unauthorised slaughter areas in the region, were infected with the disease.

The situation, Dr Bonsu said, was “very serious since consumers could be easily infected” adding that some of the animals had also been infected with dangerous tapeworms.

According to him, 15 of the cattle examined were immediately condemned because of the serious state in which they were, to avoid the spread of the disease.

“We are somehow fortunate for not having been infested because of the way we cook our meat but we cannot guarantee our safety for long,” he stated.

Dr Bonsu explained that most people could be infected by drinking the milk or eating the meat of such cattle, saying that there was the need to improve on the level of medical inspection on meat meant for consumption.