The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, in his message on the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed every year on March 24, has said:-
“I am happy to note that World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on 24th March, to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of the Tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in 1882. The theme of World Tuberculosis Day this year is “It’s Time”. Consistent with the spirit of this theme, India has renewed its commitments and intentions to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global targets. This is an ambitious timeline and, given our motivation to eliminate the disease, it is achievable. I urge all stakeholders to come together to achieve a TB free India. Let us re-dedicate ourselves towards achieving this goal”.
संदेश
मुझे यह जानकर खुशी हुई है कि 1882 में क्षय रोग (टीबी) के जीवाणु की खोज करने वाले डॉ. रॉबर्ट कोच की स्मृति में प्रत्येक वर्ष 24 मार्च को ‘विश्व क्षय रोग दिवस’ मनाया जाता है। इस वर्ष विश्व क्षय रोग दिवस का घोष वाक्य है:- ‘इट्स टाइम’ (यही समय है)। इस भावना के अनुरुप, भारत ने वैश्विक लक्ष्य से पांच वर्ष पहले ही अर्थात्, वर्ष 2025 तक क्षय रोग के उन्मूलन की अपनी प्रतिबद्धता और इरादा दुहराई है। यह समय-सीमा काफी मुश्किल है फिर भी, इस रोग को समाप्त करने की हमारी इच्छाशक्ति को देखते हुए, इसे प्राप्त किया जा सकता है। मैं, सभी प्रतिभागियों से आग्रह करता हूं कि क्षय रोग मुक्त भारत बनाने के लिए वे सब मिलकर कार्य करें। आइए, यह लक्ष्य प्राप्त करने के लिए कार्य में जुट जाएं।
TB is one of the most ancient diseases. It has been referred to in the Vedas and Ayurvedic Samhitas. Tuberculosis kills 5,000 people daily.The social & economic impacts are devastating, including poverty, stigma & discrimination.
1. What is tuberculosis? Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 2. How is tuberculosis caused? TB is spread through the air by a person suffering from TB. A single patient can infect 10 or more people in a year. 3. What are the symptoms of tuberculosis? Common symptoms of tuberculosis are:
Cough for three weeks or more, sometimes with blood-streaked sputum
Fever, especially at night
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
4. Benefits of DOTS/ Why DOTS? More than doubles the accuracy of TB diagnosis. Its success rate is up to 95%. It prevents the spread of tuberculosis by prioritizing sputum positive patients for diagnosis and treatment, thus reducing the incidence and prevalence of TB. It helps in alleviating poverty by saving lives, reducing the duration of illness and preventing new infectious cases. It improves the quality of care and removes stigma. It prevents treatment failure and the emergence of MDR-TB by ensuring patient adherence to treatment and uninterrupted supply of anti -TB drugs. It lends credence to TB control efforts and the health system.
5. What is DOTS being implemented? The DOTS strategy is in practice in more than 180 countries. By March 2006, India has extended DOTS to the entire country.
6. What is the RNTCP? RNTCP is Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) applying the principles of DOTS to the Indian context. 7. How many people die from TB in India every year? TB is one of the leading causes of mortality in india. It kills more than 300,000 people in India every year.
8. Which is the strongest risk factor for tuberculosis among adults and how does it affects the spread of TB? The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV, the virus that causes AIDS) is the strongest risk factor for tuberculosis among adults. Tuberculosis is one of the earliest opportunistic diseases to develop amongst persons infected with HIV. HIV debilitates the immune system increasing the vulnerability to TB and increasing the risk of progression from TB infection to TB disease. An HIV positive person is six times (50-60% life time risk) more likely of developing TB disease once infected with TB bacilli, as compared to an HIV negative person, who has a 10% life-time risk.
9. Can tuberculosis be cured in HIV co-infection? Tuberculosis can be cured, even among HIV-infected persons. TB treatment with DOTS reduces the morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV.
10. For how long must tuberculosis treatment be taken? Tuberculosis treatment requires at least 6 months of treatment. 11. What is Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis? Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is caused by strains of the tuberculosis bacteria resistant to the two most effective anti-tuberculosis drugs available - isoniazid and rifampicin. MDR TB can only be diagnosed in a specialized laboratory.
12. What is the duration of treatment of Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis? Multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis requires at least 18-24 months of treatment with medicines which are 100 times more expensive and often highly toxic.