World Tuberculosis Day 2023:
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on 24th March every year to spread awareness about the disease and how best to combat it.
- Theme for 2023: Yes! We can end TB!
- On this day in 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that causes TB, and his discovery opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
Tuberculosis
- It is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can practically affect any organ of the body.
- The most common ones are lungs, pleura (lining around the lungs), lymph nodes, intestines, spine, and brain.
- It is an airborne infection that spreads through close contact with the infected, especially in densely populated spaces with poor ventilation.
- Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
- TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.
- India aims to make the nation TB-free by 2025, whereas the Global Target for TB elimination is 2030.
