New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated The End Tuberculosis Summit on Tuesday, March 13 with an ambition to reach the 2030 TB eradication goal. This has come in context to the target set by World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate TB from the country by 2030.
Speaking at the summit, PM Shri Narendra Modi underlined the importance of TB eradication from the nation and announced that we should work towards TB eradication mission and aim to end the disease by 2025, five years earlier than the deadline set by WHO (World Health Organisation). The summit witnessed the converge of leaders from across the globe including ministers from all the states.
Quoted from Prime Minister’s talk, “I would like to announce that we have set the aim to eradicate TB from India by 2025.”
Tuberculosis clocks up 2.8 million cases and half a million deaths
Tuberculosis is a deadly disease that has been one of the top ten causes of death worldwide. It is said that the disease has hit close to 2.8 million cases and approximately half a million deaths on a yearly basis in India.
It is daunting to know that in 2016, TB was responsible for 1.7 million deaths while 10 million people fight with TB every year.
“We need to do a lot to curb Tuberculosis and we have not been successful yet. I believe that we need to change our approach and need to analyze the situation from its roots,” PM Modi added.
WHO’s concern about Tuberculosis
TB is an infectious and airborne disease which affects the lungs caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). WHO says that the South-East Asia Region, including India with one-fourth of the global population, shares a 46% global TB disease burden.
Speaking about India’s commitment towards TB eradication, Mr. Modi said, “The pace with which the program to eradicate TB in the nation was moving forward earlier, it would have taken us another 40 years to achieve it. Today, I’m confident that in the duration of 1 year, we’ll be able to achieve 90% immunization.”
PM @narendramodi inaugurates Delhi #EndTB Summit at Vigyan Bhawan today. Another step by the Govt towards its commitment to ensure a #tbfreeindia
The bacteria that cause #tuberculosis can develop resistance to the antimicrobial drugs which are used to cure the disease.#TBSummit pic.twitter.com/FQxgKQmniS— ??नितिन पाटील?? (@iNitin_Patil) March 13, 2018
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