CKT UTAS creates awareness on TTR Amyloidosis

By Fatima Anafu-Astanga
Navrongo (UE), April 02, GNA- The C.K.T University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) in Navrongo, Upper East Region, has launched a nationwide awareness programme to support early detection and diagnosis of Transthyretin (TTR) Amyloidosis in Ghana.
TTR Amyloidosis, is a slowly progressive condition characterised by the buildup of abnormal deposits of a protein called Amyloidosis in the body’s organs and tissues that can eventually cause health problems mostly in people above 60 years.
Professor Eric Magnus Osei Wilmot, Vice Chancellor of CKT-UTAS, in an address at the Launch of the awareness programme said six African countries namely Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Burkina Faso and Nigeria had detected cases of TTR amyloidosis.
Professor Wilmot congratulated the research team for the job done and prayed the outcome would be a boost to increasing nationwide awareness of the disease, help in early detection and help health professionals to diagnose and cure it.
Dr Kweku Appiah-Kubi , the Lead Researcher, in his presentation said, “people who have the condition could suffer hearing loss, Heart failure and low blood pressure”, and added that records had shown that the disease could cause sexual weakness “.
Dr Appiah-Kubi, who interacted with the media after the launch said TTR Amyloidosis disease was a rare condition in Ghana that affected only a small percentage of the people but required creating awareness to help health professionals in early detection and treatment.
He said a genetic factor of TTR, was another dimension that an affected person inherited from a parent with the condition.
The project had an intended audience of health professionals and would train 20 institutions including five Public Health institutions and students from five public universities running medical programmes.
He said a TTR support network would be instituted for professionals to share ideas and learning, and carry out outreaches through radio programmes and community outreaches.
He noted that the disease which was common among African Americans was believed to be present in some West African countries and said some affected cases were reported in Mali, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
The project was supported by Global Bridges Amyloidosis at Mayo Clinic and sponsored by Pfizer Global Medical Grants.
GNA
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