World Tuberculosis Day is observed annually on 24th March. It is observed to raise awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis (TB).
- 2021 Theme┬а– тАШThe Clock is TickingтАЩ
- It is one of the 11 official Global Public Health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- In 1982, on the 100th Anniversary of Robert KochтАЩs presentation about TB, the International Union┬аAgainst Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed to observe 24th March as World TB Day.
Why was 24th March observed
- It is on 24th March, 1882 that Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the cause of Tuberculosis – the TB Bacillus.
TB – WorldтАЩs Deadliest Infectious Disease
According to WHO,
- TB remains one of the WorldтАЩs deadliest infectious killers.
- Each day, around 4000 people die due to TB & close to 28,000 people get affected due to TB.
According to the report тАШGlobal Tuberculosis Report 2020тАЩ
- The TB incidence rate in India is 193 per 1 Lakh population, with total number of cases estimated at 26, 40, 000.
- The three countries with the largest share of global burden were India (27%), China (14%) & Russia (8%).
Targets to End TB
- India┬аhas set an ambitious goal to achieve тАЬEnd TuberculosisтАЭ by reducing the incidence of new TB cases by 80% by 2025.
- Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Healthcare for TB reduced by 21% in 2020: WHO
According to preliminary data compiled by the WHO from over 80 countries, healthcare for TB reduced by 21% in 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic.
- An estimated 1.4 Million fewer people received care for TB in 2020 than in 2019.
- Countries with biggest relative gaps were Indonesia (42%), South Africa (41%), Philippines (37%), & India (25%).
- More than half a million more people may have died from TB in 2020, due to the inability to obtain a diagnosis.
KeralaтАЩs TB eradication programme bags award
Kerala won Bronze Medal in the Union Health MinistryтАЩs Sub National Certification of Efforts towards Elimination of TB.
- Estimated incidence of TB decreased by 37.5% in Kerala between 2015-20 (an annual decline rate of 7.5%). Even the global figures for annual incidence of TB reduction has never been more than 2-3%.
- Kerala is the lone state chosen for the recognition in the State category.
- Kerala claim of TB incidence decline was evaluated by a team from the National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, WHO and Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine.
About International Union┬аAgainst Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD):
President – Professor Guy Marks
Headquarters – Paris, France