Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, August 20 2010:
In this technologically advanced era, tuberculosis (TB) is no longer a dreaded disease but in the State of Manipur the disease still haunts.
In just seven years ie from 2002 to 2009 TB has killed 1153 in Manipur.
The number of people suffering from the disease has touched an astronomical figure with 3,74,200 presently.
All these statistics were revealed during an interaction programme on "Innovation of Civil Society in Tuberculosis Care and Control in Manipur" today in Imphal.
A TB specialist of the Manipur TB Control Society, Dr Manihar (retired) disclosed that 1153 people were killed by TB while 3,74,200 patients of the disease got treated under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).
Dr Manihar in his paper presented during the programme mentioned that of the TB patients, 23115 were males while 14,275 were females.
The programme on "Innovation of Civil Society in Tuberculosis Care and Control in Manipur" was organised by Global Health Advocates and Action Advocacy to control TB.
In the programme, a member of Global Health Advocates by the name of Mamta Jacob while highlighting the overall picture of the disease in India said that out of 110 crore heads of India 4 crores, which means that one-third of the total population of the country is affected by the disease.
Mamta Jacob also said that every year 18 lakh people get affected by tubercolosis in India while 1000 people died of the disease everyday.
Jacob also said that 13 lakh kids get infected by TB as recorded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1995 .
"We know TB can be prevented and can also be cured easily by taking medicines for six months etc.", said Jacob.