“STOP TB: DO NOT SPIT” – this warning sounds familiar to you, doesn’t it? Yes, it is a very frequently seen sticker on the seats of the auto rickshaw drivers, which you usually notice when the rickshaw in which you are traveling is stuck in traffic. You read this, and glance outside in anxiety wondering when the signal will turn green, and at that very moment you can see at least two to three people spitting on roads simultaneously. That is why we need to create awareness about this airborne infectious disease.
Tuberculosis (TB) is still an epidemic disease and a reason for many deaths, especially in the developing countries. Tuberculosis is a specific infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease primarily affects lungs and causes pulmonary tuberculosis. It can also affect the intestines, meninges, bones and joints, lymph glands, skin and other tissues of the body. The disease is usually chronic with varying clinical manifestations.
24th March every year is recognized as World TB Day. This day aims at spreading awareness about tuberculosis, its mode of transmission, vaccination and current treatment available. On this day in 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus – Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. This was a discovery that opened the way towards curing the supposedly incurable tuberculosis.
In the year 1982, on the 100th anniversary of Dr. Koch’s discovery, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that 24th March should be denoted as an official World TB Day. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined with the IUATLD and other concerned organizations to increase the impact of World TB Day.
The theme this year is “On the move against TB: Innovate towards action”, which is focused on individuals around the world who have found new ways to stop TB like:
- carrying researches aimed at developing new diagnostics, drugs or vaccines
- conducting operational research, aimed at making TB care more effective and efficient
- planning new approaches for helping people gain access to TB diagnosis and treatment
- encouraging novel partnerships between actors in the fight against TB
- integrating TB care into health systems
- implementing new approaches to providing support from members of the community to people affected with TB
- innovating ways for raising awareness about TB
Your sincere action and innovation could stop TB, and then may be spitting on roads will not be seen anymore.
Related posts:
- World TB Day
- World AIDS Day: The Editorial
- Leprosy – A Dreaded Disease
- World AIDS Day 2010
- Health Is Wealth! So, Treasure This Wealth!
Tags: 24th March, Dr. Robert Koch, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, TB, Tuberculosis, World Health Organization (WHO), World TB Day, “On the move against TB: Innovate towards action”, “STOP TB: DO NOT SPIT”
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[...] significant for the 2800 Australian men who die of the disease every year, Prof Denham said. …World TB DaySTOP TB: DO NOT SPIT this warning sounds familiar to you, doesn't it? Yes, it is a very frequently [...]