Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : February 16, 2020 12:35 PM IST
The infectious disease is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. © Shutterstock
India is aiming to eradicate tuberculosis (TB)from the country by 2025. The central government is taking active measures to eradicate TB and many other diseases like kala-azar and measles.
"By 2025, we wish to eliminate tuberculosis from India, " Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told media persons in Kolkata. The government has taken up an ambitious universal immunisation programme delivered to 100 per cent people all over the country- he said.
He said to achieve the goal, the government's programme 'Mission Indradhanush' is already operational.
A Lancet report published last year also stated that if India can prevent 28 per cent tuberculosis-induced deaths in the next 30 years, if it provide subsidy for tests and aid the patients tackling TB.
The study authors also noted that a TB-free world is possible by 2045, if the governments focus on priority-based areas. It suggests focusing on areas such as enhancing researches to identify new treatments, diagnosis, and ways to prevent this life-threatening disease.
Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The disease affect one-quarter of the world's population - says a WHO report.
The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis is behind the infectious disease. Majorly affecting your lungs, these bacteria can be transmitted from one person to another through cough and sneeze. Symptoms of TB include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, chest pain, unintentional weight loss, fatigue, fever, night sweats, chills, and loss of appetite.
The UN aims to eradicate TB by the year 2030. The WHO highlighted that death rates and new cases are falling globally each year. However, it noted that significantly more resources are needed to boost access to preventive treatment for latent TB infection.
To meet the ambitious target of TB eradication by the year 2030, treatment coverage must rise to 90% globally from the current 64%, a WHO report stated.
Two thirds of all TB cases occur in eight countries, with India, China, and Indonesia leading this group. About half of the cases of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB occur in India, China, and Russia as per a WHO report.
