Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Updated : October 31, 2014 10:59 AM IST
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the World health Organisation s Global TB symposium on Tuesday. In his address, he emphasised the need to end TB rather than reducing the burden. He stressed that the government is determined to end the disease by the year 2020.
More than 9 million people suffered from TB and 1.5 million lost their lives to the disease in the year 2013 . The minister pointed out the need to look beyond merely reducing the burden of the disease. He highlighted that concerted efforts of the ministry are already showing results in declining TB cases. According to the World Health Organisation's Global Tuberculosis Report-2014, TB is slowly declining every year and estimates that 37 million lives were saved between 2000 and 2013 through effective diagnosis and treatment, he said. (Read: How you can prevent tuberculosis)
'TB is omnipresent, but not invincible. It is present in all regions of the world,' Harsh Vardhan said inaugurating the 45th union lung conference in Barcelona Wednesday (Read: 10 reasons docs think the tuberculosis burden is rising). 'However, given that most deaths from TB are preventable, the death toll from the disease is still high and efforts to combat it must be accelerated if 2015 global targets, set within the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), are to be met,' he said. (Read: Ten facts you didn t know about tuberculosis)
Here are ways to prevent tuberculosis
1. Vaccination: All new born and infants should be given the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine to protect them against TB. The vaccine enables the child to develop antibodies against the causative organism (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) of TB.
2. Keep your immunity high: Most of you might have come in contact with TB bacilli but have not developed the disease because of protection offered by vaccination you received in childhood. However, the vaccine cannot provide life-long protection. That s why people with a lowered immunity are at a higher risk of infection. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is important to prevent TB. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Eat a complete meal that includes carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Quit smoking and drinking alcohol, exercise regularly and stay fit. Read more about 5 ways to prevent tuberculosis
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: IANS
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