World Tuberculosis Day is observed on the 24th of March each year and it is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis and the efforts to eliminate the disease. World TB day is one of the eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization.
BACKGROUND
March 24th commemorates the day in 1882 when Doctor Robert Kock astounded the scientific community by announcing to a small group of scientist at the university of Berlin Institute of hygiene that he had discovered the cause of TB bacillus. He presented microscopic slides and other pieces of evidence. It opened the way forward diagnosing and curing TB.
THEME Of WORLD TB DAY FOR 2020:
IT'S Time to test and treat latent TB infection
It's time to speak up
Time to end stigma
Time to strengthen TB education and awareness among health care providers.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE TB
Cough for more than two weeks or any duration if H.I.V
Unexplained weight loss of less 5kg in a month
Drenching night sweats
Persistent fever of more than two weeks
Signs and symptoms for children of 5yrs
Coughing for two weeks and not improving on treatment
Persistent fever of more than two weeks
Documented weight loss and failure to thrive
Fatigue less playful listlessness poor appetite
ACTION PLAN
TB is a serious infection ,usually the lungs caused by the bacteria (Mycobacterium). The bacteria spreads when you breath in the air exhaled by the person Infected with TB.
TB SCREENING
Chest x-ray
Skin test Purified Protein Derivative (PPD)
Blood test
Systematic Screening
STOP THE SPREAD OF TB
Take all your medication prescribed until your Doctor takes you off the treatment
Keep all Doctors appointments at all times
Always cover your mouth with tissue when coughing or sneezing
Wash hands after coughing or sneezing
Don’t visit other people or invite them to visit you
Health Education of patient and family
Health education plays an important and vital in taking treatment correctly and at the same time everyday. Patient education and counselling for promoting adherence to treatment for TB is vital.
Non-adherence to TB treatment can lead to prolonged period of infectiousness ,relapse and drug -resistance.
Control strategy recommended by WHO and is the most effective way to stop the spread of TB and is the best curative measures for TB. Read more here.