WORLD TB DAY

Dear Rotary Leaders, 

It kills more people than a war kills. It kills more people than any other diseases kill. It is the scourge of present day. It is tuberculosis. 

One of the few infective diseases that have defied elimination, tuberculosis is so rampant in many parts of the world that in spite of concentrated efforts to contain this disease, World Health Organization has failed to rein in this disease. 

In order to spread awareness of this disease and to highlight the havoc it creates, it has been decided to recognize 23^rd March, as World T B Day. It is a day on which Dr Robert Koch, a renowned Microbiologist discovered the deadly TB bacillus. This day is marked to create awareness and to make people know that TB is easily diagnosable and treatable. The millions who fall a victim to this disease and millions more who try to fight against it are often loosing a battle against T B., because of poor awareness and because of inadequate treatment. 

To control T B, we need to spread the word about the disease and its adequate treatment. T B is curable – only if the right steps are taken at the right time for a right duration of therapy. 

Let us hope that a day will come when T B will no longer be considered a deadly disease. 

Ashok Mahajan
Director - Rotary International
19^th February, 2008