Doctor goes 'Junglee' on spitters!

Don't be fooled by the video's protagonist. He isn't a B-grade character actor but a renowned Mumbai based orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in sports medicine and also has a flair of music. Explaining why he made the video Dr Dilip Nadkarni recounts an incident, 'I was driving back home from Lilavati hospital when a BEST bus passed by. Someone spat a huge amount of paan juice, which landed straight on my car window. Junglee I said instinctively. Even after coming home I couldn't get the song out of my head and it translated into a YouTube parody of Shammi Kapoor's Junglee.'

Dr Nadkarni adds, 'Spitting in public is not only a disgusting habit but is responsible for the spread of many communicable diseases. We need to put a stop to it. One disease that is spread by spitting and is particularly dangerous is tuberculosis. I have come across quite a few cases of tuberculosis knee this year. Spitting adds fuel to this epidemic and we need to stop this. I hope my song reaches the right ears and action is taken to tackle this health hazard. The Spit India Movement needs to stop and 'Spit Personalities' need to be addressed!'

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a common infectious disease caused by bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis which affects the lungs. Main symptoms of TB are severe cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, bloody or discoloured sputum, night sweats, fever, fatigue and weakness, pain in the chest, loss of appetite, and pain during breathing or coughing. India had the highest total number of TB cases worldwide in 2010 partly due to poor disease management by the private healthcare sector. TB can be prevented by vaccination and maintaining high levels of hygiene. One infected, the patient should follow the medication regimen properly. By not doing so, there are chances of developing resistance to anti-TB drugs resulting in an aggressive form of TB called MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB).