Tuberculosis (TB) is considered as the 13th leading cause of deaths and the second highest disease after COVID-19 in India. And, the World TB Day is observed the world over on March 24 every year to build public awareness. However, it appears that most people in the state are hardly concerned about this infectious disease and lack awareness about the Central government TB prevention programme still, according to a civil body in the state.
"Tuberculosis today remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of nearly one-and-a-half million people each year, mostly in developing countries," the Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) said as countries across the world observed the World TB Day on Friday.
World Tuberculosis Day is observed to raise awareness about TB and efforts to end the global epidemic, marking the day in 1882 when the bacterium causing TB was discovered.
This year, World TB Day 2023 is observed under the theme “Yes! We can end TB!” with an aim to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
In India too, including Manipur, TB remains a major public health concern and control efforts have been initiated countrywide since 1962 with the inception of the National TB Control Programme.
The government programme was reviewed and revised strategy was pilot tested in 1993. The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) was launched in 1997 with implementation of Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course Strategy, Programme is further renamed as National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme in the year 2020 by Central TB Division, Government of India.
The National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) is the Public Health initiative of the Government of India that organizes its anti-Tuberculosis efforts. It functions as a flagship component of the National Health Mission and provides technical and managerial leadership to anti-tuberculosis activities in the country, CONE said.
"HIV, tobacco, diabetes and malnutrition are some of the most common comorbidities associated with TB. Therefore, it is important to identify these comorbidities in people diagnosed with TB in order to ensure early diagnosis and improve co-management," CoNE said.
CONE also stressed the need to look for possibilities in intervention to this issue from all sections, including the NGOs to come forward and help the government in raising awareness, testing, diagnosing and treating patients effectively for TB and ultimately contribute towards achieving TB elimination by 2025.
With the aim to provide every possible help in the government’s effort to eliminate TB, CONE said that in collaboration with ARK Foundation, TAG under the IMPACT 4TB Project, it will be organising a "State Level Training on TPT and Building Coordination” in commemoration of World TB Day-2023 at Punshi, Ishika on the occasion of World TB Day-2023 on March 24.
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