World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 every year across the world with an objective to create public awareness about the epidemics of tuberculosis (TB) globally and eradicate the disease, which leads to the death of about 1.7 million people each year across the world. Moreover, India only accounts for 20 percent of world's tuberculosis cases including 3 million sufferers every year and over 3 lakhs death each year.
World Tuberculosis Day marks the date in 1882, when German bacteriologist Robert Koch declared the discovery of the bacteria that causes TB .i.e. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and later on the 100th anniversary of Robert Koch's discovery, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day. Since then the day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about TB-related problems and solutions, and to support worldwide TB control efforts. In 1996 the World Health Organization (WHO) also joined the hands for World TB Day and the works to fight against the disease increased significantly and still running.
Like every year, this year also a specific theme has been decided for World Tuberculosis Day 2013, which is "Stop TB in my lifetime Call for a world free of TB".
Tuberculosis usually affects the lungs but can also cause adverse effects on the other parts of the body. TB is contagious in nature and can spread through air, when a person already affected with the disease sneezes, or otherwise transmit respiratory fluids through the air in some other ways. The major symptoms of tuberculosis includes chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Moreover, the treatment of TB is quite difficult as it requires administration of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time. And hence, it is becomes very important to spread proper knowledge and awareness about the disease in large scale in order to eliminate the epidemic related with tuberculosis.
Looking upon the devastating effects of tuberculosis every year, it is very important to increase the pace of creating awareness about the disease, prevention, treatment methods and also awareness about how the disease spreads. This can only be done through bridging the gap between the private and public sector in healthcare, which can bring about a major difference in fighting the disease. Moreover, awareness campaigns, events and consultations on large scale can also play an important role in creating awareness needed to understand, detect, treat and, ultimately, prevent the disease in a better way.
Moreover, it is very important that the efforts being made should not be limited to World Tuberculosis Day only but run on continuation until the threat of the disease is over globally. This is the only way, a tuberculosis free world can be imagined.
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