world tb day

World Tuberculosis Day or World TB Day is observed every year on March 24 globally. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB).

This was a first step towards diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. World Tuberculosis Day can be traced back to 1982, when the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease launched World TB Day on March 24 that year, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Dr Koch’s discovery.

World Tuberculosis Day

World Tuberculosis Day is a worldwide event that aims to raise public awareness of tuberculosis and the efforts made to prevent and treat this disease. This event is promoted by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined the union and other organizations to promote World TB Day. The Stop TB Partnership, called the Stop TB Initiative at the time of its inception, was established in 1998. It is a network of organizations and countries fighting tuberculosis. WHO works with this partnership on to support the activities and events that take place on World Tuberculosis Day each year.

About Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick.

How TB Spreads?

TB bacteria spread through the air from one person to another. When a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, TB bacteria can get into the air. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.

 

 

 

 

 

TB is NOT spread by

• shaking someone’s hand
• sharing food or drink
• touching bed linens or toilet seats
• sharing toothbrushes
• kissing

When a person breathes in TB bacteria, the bacteria can settle in the lungs and begin to grow. From there, they can move through the blood to other parts of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

Symptoms

Facts About Tuberculosis Disease

Tuberculosis is curable and preventable.

There are two kinds of tests used to detect TB bacteria in the body: the TB skin test (TST) and TB blood tests.  A positive TB skin test or TB blood test only tells that a person has been infected with TB bacteria.

As per WHO, 74 million lives saved since 2000 by global efforts to end TB.

10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2021.

1.6 million people died of TB in 2021.

Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS).

Globally, TB incidence is falling at about 2% per year and between 2015 and 2020 the cumulative reduction was 11%. This was over half way to the End TB Strategy milestone of 20% reduction between 2015 and 2020.

An estimated 66 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2020.

Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Globally, disruptions to the provision of and access to TB diagnostic and treatment services due to the COVID-19 pandemic are estimated to have caused an increase of about 100 000 in the global number of TB deaths between 2019 and 2020.

World TB Day Themes by WHO

World TB Day 2023 – Yes! We can end TB

World TB Day 2022 – Invest to End TB. Save Lives

World TB Day 2021 – The Clock is Ticking

World TB Day 2020 – It’s time to end TB

World TB Day 2019 – It’s time for action

World TB Day 2018 – Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world

World TB Day 2017 – Unite to End TB: Leave no one behind

World TB Day 2016 – Unite to End TB

World TB Day 2015 – Gear up to end TB

World TB Day 2014 – The “missed” 3 million

World TB Day 2013 – Stop TB in My Lifetime

In the Global TB Report 2022, the Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that:

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that with
solidarity, determination, innovation and the equitable use of
tools, we can overcome severe health threats. Let’s apply those
lessons to tuberculosis. It is time to put a stop to this long-time
killer. Working together, we can end TB”.

Precautions

It may sound like a disease of the past, but tuberculosis, or TB, is still a real concern today. And as the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In other words, the best way to be well is to avoid getting sick in the first place.

Follow these other tips to help prevent others from getting TB during the first few weeks of treatment, or until the doctor says you’re no longer contagious:

• Take all of your medicines as they’re prescribed, until your doctor takes you off them.
• Keep all your doctor appointments.
• Always cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Seal the tissue in a plastic bag, then throw it away.
• Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing.
• Don’t visit other people and don’t invite them to visit you.
• Stay home from work, school, or other public places.
• Use a fan or open windows to move around fresh air.
• Don’t use public transportation.

Tuberculosis in India

India continues to have the largest share of the global TB burden. India’s National TB Elimination Programme (earlier known as Revised National TB Control Programme) is strengthened to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2025 from the country, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030. The National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination 2017-2025 was developed to achieve the goal.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to read other articles from the General awareness section.