large number of students, NCC cadets and social activists took part in a Tuberculosis (TB) awareness rally organised by the State TB control Committee of Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department on the occasion of World TB Day here on Tuesday. The rally was flagged off by State Director General (DG) of Health Services GS Joshi at Gandhi Park in the morning.
The rally passed thorough Clock Tower, Tehsil Chowk, Doon hospital and culminated near Municipal Corporation office. In an appreciable gesture, the DG walked with the participants from the starting point till its end.
Speaking on the occasion Joshi said TB was a perfectly curable disease and added that under the Revised National Tuberculosis Programe (RNTP) free medication was provided to TB patients.
Dr Joshi called upon the students to ensure that people with symptoms of TB were taken to the nearest health centres. Persistent fever and cough, loss of weight and loss of appetite were some symptoms of the disease on which one should get his/her sputum checked.
He announced that State had adequate stock of the TB medicines. In his address the Additional Project Director Uttarakhand State AIDS Control Society (USACS), Dr RP Pandey said the HIV affected people had much higher chances of getting TB infection.
He stressed the need to organise more training programmes for ANM and ASHA workers so that the Government schemes reached to the grassroot levels. State TB control Officer Dr Anup Dimri gave a detailed account of the activities of the department. He said due to increased awareness level in the society more and more TB patients were coming forward for getting the treatment. Dr Dimri said the State of Uttarakhand had 14,828 TB patients.
The highlight of the programme was a short play enacted by the artists of Samhav Kala Manch. The artists emphatically underlined the importance of treatment of TB patients by their lively performance.
The programme was attended by District TB officer Dr Abhishek Gupta, secretary Bharat scout guide Narendra Shah, social worker Hemlata, district coordinator Population Service International (PSI) Galib Hussain and large number of students.