Date:23/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/23/stories/2008032352210300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Rally to mark World TB Day

Staff Reporter

Kakinada: The World TB Day will be observed on March 24 to raise awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and expedite efforts to eliminate the disease.

It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population is currently infected with TB.

The World Health Organisation is working to cut TB prevalence rates and deaths by half by 2015.

Theme

The theme for this year is ‘I Am Stopping TB, Fighting TB Is Responsibility of Every Citizen’.

Collector M. Subrahmanyam and District TB Control Officer N. Prasanna Kumar will flag off a rally to mark the occasion.

East Godavari district has 11 TB treatment centres and 60 microscope centres where diagnostic tests are conducted.

Those found to be suffering from TB are given Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) for eight months.

The DOTS has five components: government commitment, case detection by sputum smear microscopy, standardized treatment regimen with directly observed treatment for at least the first two months, regular drug supply and a standardized recording and reporting system that allows assessment of treatment results.