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The World Tuberculosis Day was observed Friday in the country as elsewhere across the globe in a befitting manner, reports BDNEWS.
Different government and non-government organisations observed the day through elaborate programmes including rally, workshop, discussion meeting and cultural function.
The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Council (BRAC) organised a seminar on 'Tuberculosis Control and Social Participation' in the city marking the day.
The speakers of the seminar said social mobilisation integrated with other communication approaches is essential to raise community awareness for eradicating tuberculosis from the country.
This year's global theme of the Day is "Actions for life - towards a world free of tuberculosis" and the country's theme is " Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) for all and all for DOTS".
BRAC Director Afsan Chowdhury, Health Directorate Director General Shahadat Hossain, MBDC Director Mahabub Kamal Siddiqui and Deputy Executive Director Ahamed Mostak Reza Chowdhury and representatives from the civil society spoke on the occasion while Adviser of BRAC Advocacy and Human Rights Unit Sa'adat Hossain was in the chair.
National consultant of WHO Khorshed Alam Hayder and Asif Muztoba Mahmood presented keynote papers.
Shahadat said the mortality rate in tuberculosis was 70 thousand per year in the country. We can make people aware of the responsibility at family level for treatment of the TB patient, he added.
Asif Muztoba said the magnitude of anti-TB drug resistance is not well documented in the country. National drug resistance surveys are expected to commence in Bangladesh this year, he added.
Khorshid Alam Hayder said WHO ranked Bangladesh fifth in 2004 among the world's 22 highest burden TB countries. WHO ranked Bangladesh sixth in 2005 with improvement of the scenario, he added.
Each year about two million people all round the world die of this curable disease.
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