2017 World Tuberculosis Day - Friday March 24,2017

 

 World Tuberculosis Day, falling on March 24 each year, is designed to build public awareness about the Global Epidemic of Tuberculosis(TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease

In 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.3 million died from the disease, mostly in the Third World 

World TB Day is one of 8 official Global Public Health Campaigns marked by the World Health Organization(WHO)along with -

• World Health Day
• World Blood Donor Day
• World Immunization Week
• World Malaria Day
• World No Tobacco Day
• World Hepatitis Day and
• World AIDS Day

Tuberculosis(TB)is an infectious, airborne disease  that mainly affects your lungs. Caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium, TB is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide.

And the disease spreads from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

Here are some factors that increases the risk of developing the disease:

• Infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS and weakens the immune system
• Diabetes mellitus
• Low body weight
• Head or neck cancer, leukemia
• Silicosis, a respiratory condition caused by inhaling silica dust.
• People who live with or care for someone with active TB
• Health care workers who treat people with a high risk of TB

Each World TB Day addresses a different theme

1997: Use DOTS more widely

1998: DOTS success stories

1999: Stop TB, use DOTS

2000: Forging new partnerships to Stop TB

2001: DOTS: TB cure for all

2002: Stop TB, fight poverty

2003:DOTS cured me – it will cure you too!

2004: Every breath counts – Stop TB now!

2005: Frontline TB Care Providers: Heroes in the fight against TB

2006: Actions for life – Towards a world free of TB

2007: TB anywhere is TB everywhere

2008-2009: I am stopping TB

2010: Innovate to accelerate action

2011: Transforming the fight towards elimination

2012: Call for a world free of TB

2013: Stop TB in my lifetime

2014: Reach the three million: A TB Test, Treatment and Cure for All

2015: Gear Up To End TB

2016: Unite To End TB