State lives up to the call for zero death from TB

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal/Tamenglong, March 24 2013 : As in other parts of the globe, World Tuberculosis Day was observed widely in Manipur today under the theme “Zero Death from TB in my life time”.

The World TB Day is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis and the efforts to eliminate the disease.

Today tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.7 million people each year, mostly in the Third World.

Apart from taking out a rally to spread the message of World Tuberculosis Day, the main observance was held under the joint aegis of Medical Directorate, Manipur State TB Society, District TB Control Societies Imphal East and West Manipur at the Conference Hall of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical, Porompat here with Ram Muivah, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare and Dr A Bijoy Singh, Director of Health Services, as Chief Guest and President respectively.

Dr L Chandramani, Director of JNIMS; Dr W Gopimohon, Medical Superintendent of JNIMS and RK Dinesh, DC, Imphal East also attended the function as Guests of Honour.

World Tuberculosis Day was observed widely in Manipur

Speaking on the occasion, Ram Muivah pointed out that the total number of TB patients in the State a couple of years back was 48,000.But today, the cases of TB in the State have considerably declined with just 19,000 people infected with the disease.

He observed that TB was once considered a deadly disease.

But today there are medicines to cure the disease.

Some people are saying it cannot be cured are due to lack of awareness.

With better awareness on how to administer and use the medicines, TB can be cured easily.

Dr L Chandramani also stated that not only can the disease be cured totally; the government is providing free medicines to the people.

What is required is adherence in taking the medicine.

Dr Gopimohan pointed out that most of us consider TB as related only with the lungs.

But the fact is that there are other forms of TB like � TB of the brain, TB of the spinal cord, etc, and we need to be aware of these variants of TB.

To mark the occasion, a rally was flagged off by Deputy Commissioner of Imphal East district RK Dinesh from Porompat DC to JNIMS Complex.

Prizes were also distributed to winners of a painting competition organized on March 21 in connection with the observance of World TB Day at Wangkhei Keithel Ashangbi, apart from giving away awards to NGO members, contractual staffs of DOTS providers and laboratory technicians for their contribution towards controlling spread of the disease.

On the other hand, District Control Society, Tamenglong observed World Tuberculosis (TB) Day at Taodai Fellowship, Tamenglong District HQs under the theme, “Zero Death from TB in my lifetime” .

The occasion was graced by TK Simte, MCS, SDO Tamenglong and B.Go-Lian- Mang, MPS, Addl.

SP Tamenglong as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively.

Delivering the key note address, Dr.Chambo Gonmei, Chief Medical Officer, Tamenglong, who is also in charge of District Tuberculosis Officer, pointed out that there are four Designated Microscopy Centres, DMC in the district.

He said that Tuberculosis (TB) is completely curable through Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) within six months.

“In other countries, if a person eats sweet, they put the covers inside their pocket if they didn’t find dustbin.

But we just threw it.

Let us keep the surrounding clean and free ourselves from TB”, Dr Chambo exhorted.

Tamenglong district has 32 DOTS providers and 62 DOTS centres.

Patient who regularly takes DOTS has cured from the disease.

On the occasion of World TB Day observance, Best DOTs provider prizes were given to two health workers, namely R.Rengthar Chothe, Lab.

Tech of Nungba CHC and H.Manglemba Singh, Lab VCG Tamenglong TB Control Society.

During the observance, Pouchunlung (40), a TB patient, also gave his testimony on how he got contracted with TB and started taking DOTS.

“Now, I am in good health, I will not die from tuberculosis”, Pouchunlung added.

Many other patients also shared their testimonies.

TK.

Simte, MCS SDO Tamenglong and Pr.

Damthanlung, Association Pastor, Taodai Fellowship also spoke on the occasion.

via NorthEast Calling - NorthEast India | India's No1 online News Magazine http://www.necalling.com/state-lives-up-to-the-call-for-zero-death-from-tb/