Dr. Chris Aminarh Warns on Underreporting of TB in Ghana Due to Misdiagnosis and Stigma

Jephthah Nana Adjei Osei - Mensah
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Dr. Chris Aminarh Warns on Underreporting of TB in Ghana Due to Misdiagnosis and Stigma
Dr. Chris Aminarh
In a discussion on 3Music TV’s Big Conversation in Accra, Ghana, Dr. Chris Aminarh revealed that tuberculosis (TB) cases in Ghana are often underreported due to misdiagnosis, self-treatment, and social stigma, allowing this highly infectious and potentially deadly disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, to persist as a significant public health challenge despite being both preventable and treatable. TB’s symptoms, such as persistent coughing, fever, night sweats, or and weight loss, are often nonspecific and can resemble those of common respiratory illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia. In resource-constrained settings, where access to advanced diagnostics like GeneXpert or chest X-rays is limited, healthcare providers may misattribute symptoms, delaying accurate diagnosis.

This is particularly problematic in rural or underfunded areas, where diagnostic capacity is stretched thin. Many Ghanaians treat symptoms, particularly coughing, with over-the-counter cough syrups or herbal remedies, assuming a minor ailment, which This delays medical care-seeking, allowing TB to progress and spread to others. By the time severe symptoms prompt a clinic visit, patients may have advanced TB, which is harder to treat and increases mortality risk. Social stigma also contributes to underreporting.

Though TB carries less stigma than diseases like HIV/AIDS, it’s associated with poverty or poor hygiene. Patients may avoid care due to fear of ostracism, particularly in close-knit communities, preventing cases from being documented. Unlike COVID-19, which sparked global fear and vigilance due to its rapid spread, TB’s slower progression results in less public urgency, allowing it to remain a “silent killer.” Dr. Aminarh contrasted TB with COVID-19, noting that the latter’s high visibility prompted rapid reporting and contact tracing in Ghana, while TB’s chronic nature garners less attention, despite killing more people annually in many developing countries. Underreporting has serious implications in Ghana’s densely populated urban centers, where overcrowding and poor ventilation facilitate transmission. Undiagnosed cases spread TB to others, perpetuating infection cycles.

Health facilities are mandated to conduct contact tracing for confirmed cases, but this relies on prompt reporting. Underreporting undermines these efforts, increasing risks of outbreaks, including drug-resistant TB, which is harder to treat. Dr. Aminarh called for heightened community awareness and proactive reporting, urging campaigns to educate about TB symptoms—emphasizing that a cough lasting over two to three days warrants medical evaluation—and dispel stigma. Improved diagnostic access, particularly in underserved areas, and training healthcare workers to recognize TB are critical. Strengthening systems to support contact tracing and treatment adherence is essential. Ghana’s National TB Control Program offers free diagnosis and treatment, but logistical challenges like drug shortages or travel distances deter patients. Addressing these, alongside community vigilance, can reduce underreporting.

TB underreporting reflects broader challenges in developing nations, where limited infrastructure, poverty, and low health literacy enable infectious diseases to thrive. The comparison with COVID-19 shows how priorities influence disease control—acute pandemics draw resources, while chronic diseases like TB receive less focus. A multifaceted approach, combining community engagement, healthcare improvements, and policy advocacy, is needed to ensure TB no longer claims lives due to oversight. Dr. Aminarh’s insights highlight the need for awareness, better diagnostics, and robust contact tracing to capture TB’s true extent in Ghana, particularly in high-risk communities, to reduce mortality and curb its hidden threat.

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