March 24 is World TB Day
Over the past hundred years, TB was successful in sending 200 million to grave. The MDR or multi-drug resistant and XDR or extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis killed 150,000 in 2008. Sadly, even the developed lands were unable to totally rule out this deadly disease. In a region of the developed Russian country, more than half of the cases are drug-resistant. It’s good to know, though, that there are places that were effective in fighting off tuberculosis like Peru, Hong Kong and New York City.
Governments and health organizations remain optimistic in winning over tuberculosis, and this year’s celebration of the World TB Day is aimed to raise awareness regarding this global epidemic so as everyone would have part in eliminating the disease. WHO continues to promote DOTS, which stands for Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course. May everyone take part on this life-changing day which is happening today, March 24, 2010.
However, aside from the disease itself, there’s also a need to combat the different aspects that lead to failure of stopping tuberculosis namely deteriorated TB-control programs, incapacity to buy medication, malnourishment, and crowded living conditions. The HIV AIDS epidemic has also helped fuel the spread of TB. And of course, there has to be an effective way to counter the drug-resistant TB strains as they are far more contagious than the common strains. Health care workers in nursing uniforms as well as the common people has a big fight to win yet.
