⇒ World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on March 24 to raise public awareness about Tuberculosis (TB).
Theme:
The theme of World TB Day 2022 – “Invest to End TB. Save Lives.” – conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders.
History:
- On this day in the year 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria that causes TB. It paved the way for diagnosis and cure of this deadly disease.
- World Tuberculosis Day was first celebrated on March 24th, 1982.
Celebrations In India:
» Step-Up to End TB – World TB Day Summit:
In an event to celebrate World TB Day 2022, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt Anandiben Patel virtually inaugurated the “Step-Up to End TB – World TB Day Summit” in presence of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.
The event aims to reiterate India’s commitment to eliminating the high-burden infectious disease by 2025, five years ahead of the global goal of SDG 2030.
The Summit provided a forum to showcase the National TB Elimination Programme’s learnings and successes and frame it in a manner that inspires more forward-looking policies across infectious diseases, and not just TB alone.
» Data-Driven Research to Eradicate TB:
Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology; Minister of State (I/C) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh announced the launch of Data-Driven Research to Eradicate TB -“Dare2eraD TB” by the Department of Biotechnology, M/o Science & Technology.
Dare2eraD TB is the umbrella TB program of DBT comprising of following key initiatives:
- InTGS – Indian Tuberculosis Genomic Surveillance Consortium;
- InTBK Hub- Indian TB Knowledge Hub- Webinar Series;
- Host Directed therapies against TB and developing an evidence-based regimen for treating extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis.
- InTGS is proposed on lines of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG).
- The InTBK Hub will be a Webinar series starting from World TB Day that will create Academia- Industry connect to discuss challenges and exchange ideas and carry forward open innovations between all TB stakeholders.