The Indian Medical Association Sunday organised a mass awareness program on World Tuberculosis Day and appealed to all stakeholders to work together as a unit towards the goal of eliminating the disease from the country by 2025.
The program was simultaneously carried out in all the 1,750 branches of IMA throughout the country. Sensitizing the public through such events will be a step closer towards eliminating TB from the country, IMA national president Dr Santanu Sen said.
The program aims to increase awareness about the dreaded disease among the public and the ways to curb the instances and related mortality and morbidity by 2025.
The slogan for the event, inaugurated by Dr Sen, was 'IMA ka naara, TB se Chutkara', aiming to get rid of the disease.
The event witnessed release of as many balloons into the air to mark the 137th World TB Day.
This World TB Day commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes the disease.
The highlights of the event included 'Nukkad Natak' (street plays) based on tuberculosis theme.
"Training sessions will be imparted to many NGOs present on the occasion over the next few days. Over 500 students, NGO workers and healthcare workers are expected to participate," the IMA national president said.
"According to the recent statistics provided by the WHO, India leads the list of drug-sensitive and multi-drug resistance TB. One of the other vital issues remains the negligence of TB in women, which is under-reported," said IMA Finance Secretary Dr Ramesh Datta.
"Over 3.2 million women are not only suffering from TB but the mortality rate is also on the higher side. We need to come forward as a unit to develop strategies that effectively address the impediments in the management of the disease, especially the notification," he said.
Former Honorary Secretary General of IMA Dr Narendra Saini said : "The mortality rate last year dropped by 3 per cent, the IMA is committed to accomplish the targeted 80 pc reduction in mortality by 2025.
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