<p>“Every 1.5 minute, one person dies in India due to TB. Though the incidence has come down drastically in the recent years, the severity is still alarming,” he said.<br /><br />He was addressing the World TB Day programme organised by district administration, ZP, Health and Family Welfare Department, TB Eradication Cell, Wenlock Hospital and Rotaract Club of Mangalore at the Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) on Wednesday.<br /><br />“India has 1/5 of the world’s TB patients, which was 1/3 prior to the implementation of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in 1960s. The Union government has set a target of completely eradicating the deadly disease from India by 2050,” he said. TB bacteria enter the bodies of over 40,000 people everyday in India, among whom more than 5,000 people are affected. <br /><br />The government has introduced Direct Observation Treatment Short Course (DOTS) to make TB control more effective. The improved version of the course- DOTS plus - is also being introduced all across the country, he explained.<br /><br />Complete eradication of TB is not possible only through the government machinery; it should be a united effort. Hence, even private medical colleges are being involved in the awareness and diagnosis process, he added.<br /><br />District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar who inaugurated the programme said everybody in the society has the responsibility of preventing the spreading of tuberculosis. “Getting TB cured itself is a social service because it is the only way to prevent spreading. Since a TB patient spreads the disease to more healthy persons, taking timely treatment is important,” he observed.<br /><br />Including the newly added seven Arogya Kavacha (108) ambulances, the district has got a total of 19 such vehicles, intended to provide better services to the people, he informed.<br /><br />Rotaract Club Mangalore City Chairman Dr B Devadas Rai said united efforts are required to get rid of TB completely from the country by 2050. Despite having such a target for Polio (by 2005), we could not achieve that, he noted. The world is observing the TB Day on March 24 to commemorate the day (March 24, 1882) when German physician and scientist Robert Koch discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. DK ZP Education and Health Standing Committee chief Rajashree Hegde presided. <br />CEO P Shivashankar, DHO Dr H Jagannath, District Surgeon Dr Saroja were present on the occasion.<br /></p>
<p>“Every 1.5 minute, one person dies in India due to TB. Though the incidence has come down drastically in the recent years, the severity is still alarming,” he said.<br /><br />He was addressing the World TB Day programme organised by district administration, ZP, Health and Family Welfare Department, TB Eradication Cell, Wenlock Hospital and Rotaract Club of Mangalore at the Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) on Wednesday.<br /><br />“India has 1/5 of the world’s TB patients, which was 1/3 prior to the implementation of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in 1960s. The Union government has set a target of completely eradicating the deadly disease from India by 2050,” he said. TB bacteria enter the bodies of over 40,000 people everyday in India, among whom more than 5,000 people are affected. <br /><br />The government has introduced Direct Observation Treatment Short Course (DOTS) to make TB control more effective. The improved version of the course- DOTS plus - is also being introduced all across the country, he explained.<br /><br />Complete eradication of TB is not possible only through the government machinery; it should be a united effort. Hence, even private medical colleges are being involved in the awareness and diagnosis process, he added.<br /><br />District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar who inaugurated the programme said everybody in the society has the responsibility of preventing the spreading of tuberculosis. “Getting TB cured itself is a social service because it is the only way to prevent spreading. Since a TB patient spreads the disease to more healthy persons, taking timely treatment is important,” he observed.<br /><br />Including the newly added seven Arogya Kavacha (108) ambulances, the district has got a total of 19 such vehicles, intended to provide better services to the people, he informed.<br /><br />Rotaract Club Mangalore City Chairman Dr B Devadas Rai said united efforts are required to get rid of TB completely from the country by 2050. Despite having such a target for Polio (by 2005), we could not achieve that, he noted. The world is observing the TB Day on March 24 to commemorate the day (March 24, 1882) when German physician and scientist Robert Koch discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. DK ZP Education and Health Standing Committee chief Rajashree Hegde presided. <br />CEO P Shivashankar, DHO Dr H Jagannath, District Surgeon Dr Saroja were present on the occasion.<br /></p>
