IMPHAL, March 24: As in other parts of the world, the World Tuberculosis Day was also observed in several parts of the state today under the theme “Zero Death from TB in my lifetime”.
The 32ndWorld TB Day 2013 was observed at the Conference Hall of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences today organized by the Medical Directorate, Manipue State TB Society, District TB Control Societies Imphal East and Imphal West Manipur.
As part of the observation, the Imphal East Deputy Commissioner, RK Dinesh Singh flagged off a rally from the Poromat DC office complex till JNIMS. The DC also took part in the rally.
STO Manipur, Dr RK Laksana in his keynote address said in the past, TB was considered a dreaded and easily transferable disease to others; however after the introduction of Directive Observance Treatment System, it is now hundred percent curable.
He continued that if a person is not cured after administration of DOTS, he/she is administered with Multi-Drug Resistance drug treatment which is the second stage of the TB.
Director JNIMS, Dr L Chandramani Singh said TB is as old as our human society.
Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Ram Muivah said around 1 million 70 lakh people die every year of TB with most being from India.
As of present, Manipur has 48,800 people who are presently affected with TB out of which, 41,000 have been cured by the TB Society.
Dr A Bijoy Singh, Director of Health Services, Manipur said on the occasion that that though 95% of TB can be controlled, 5% is still uncontrollable as the later percent is of Multi Drug Resitant TB.
Cautioning that a TB infected person can spread the disease further to 15 other people in a year through his sputum, he also stressed that TB infected people need to take measures themselves to avoid spreading of the disease.
World Tuberculosis Day was also observed at the “Carmel Jyoti” Children Home at Luwangshangbam, Imphal East district. Dr. Momota Mukherjee, Chief Medical Officer, Imphal East; Dr. N Tomal Singh, Maibam Dhanabir Meetei, Executive Editor IFP and L Deepak, President of MNP+ Imphal attended the solemn occasion as the Chief Guest, President and Guests of honor respectively.
Addressing the occasion as Chief Guest, Dr. Momota Mukherjee, CMO/IE said that the government is making an all out effort to eliminate the disease from this region. There are TB diagnostic services in the health care centres including Imphal East Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) for diagnosing TB without any delay if someone has the doubt that he catches the disease.
She further said, “Please test at the testing centres if someone suffers from fever for two weeks or coughs with blood. This disease can be cured.”
Speaking at the function as the guest of honor, Maibam Dhanabir Meetei, Executive Editor IFP said that the theme of the world TB day for this year is that everybody should try not to catch the disease and to seek treatment if someone suffers from the disease.
L Deepak, President of MNP+ said that he himself had suffered from Tuberculosis, Hepatitis-C and that he is HIV positive. He lamented that the ceasework strike launched by government employees due to non payment of salaries off and on disrupts the supply of medicines necessary for the treatment of the diseases in time while appealing to all concerned, not to repeat such actions.
Sr. Pauline George, Director, Carmel Jyoti made the introductory speech and children the Home presented an act titled “Eikhoi Amatani” along with prayers and hymns in Manipuri, Hindi and English.